New Delhi [India], December 4 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday shared a photograph of himself with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the shared ride from New Delhi's Palam airport to the PM's Lok Kalyan Marg residence.

Putin arrived in the national capital's Palam airport this evening in an aircraft of the Rossiya Special Flight Detachment to begin a two-day State visit.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, 'Delighted to welcome my friend, President Putin to India. Looking forward to our interactions later this evening and tomorrow. India-Russia friendship is a time tested one that has greatly benefitted our people.'

https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1996589836267122768?s=20

He was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who greeted him with a hug. Russia's foreign ministry has shared a video of the warm personal welcome by PM Modi.

Putin who on his first visit to India in four years, was given a traditional welcome with a cultural dance at the airport, following which the two leaders departed in the same vehicle.

Russian Presidential aide Yury Ushakov had earlier said as quoted by TASS that the informal meeting this evening between Putin and PM Modi 'will be the key and most substantive event of the visit.'

The Russian President's visit is aimed at bolstering bilateral and economic ties between the two countries.

Flex boards welcoming Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian national flags were put up in New Delhi and in Varanasi, the constituency of PM Modi, 'Welcome Putin' written with diyas was seen during the Ganga Aarti.

On Friday Putin will be accorded a ceremonial welcome before the 23rd India-Russia summit. After the summit, Putin is set to launch the new India channel of Russian state-run broadcaster RT, following which he will attend a state banquet to be hosted in his honour by President Droupadi Murmu.

Putin's visit marks the 25th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership between India and Russia, established in October 2000. During the Russian President's visit to India in December 2010, the Strategic Partnership was elevated to a 'Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership'. (ANI)