Moscow, 9 April

Russia has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the 9 May celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Germany in World War II, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has said.

Moscow is expecting the Indian Prime Minister at the 9 May parade. The invitation has already been sent and the visit is being worked out, Rudenko was quoted as saying by the state-run Tass news agency.

'It's being worked out...He has an invitation,' Rudenko said on Tuesday.

In New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Prime Minister has received an invitation and 'we will be announcing our participation in Victory Day celebrations at the appropriate time".

Russia has invited leaders of several friendly nations to attend this year's Victory Day parade.

In January 1945, the Soviet Army launched an offensive against Germany. The commanders-in-chief on May 9 signed the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Germany, which ended the war.

In July last, Prime Minister Modi visited Moscow to attend the 22nd Russia-India summit, his first trip to the country in nearly five years. He had visited the far eastern city of Vladivostok in 2019 to attend an economic conclave.

In October last, Modi visited the Russian city of Kazan for the BRICS summit.

During his last visit, Modi invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit India.

Putin has already accepted Modi's invitation to visit India. He is expected to travel to India this year as part of the established framework for reciprocal annual engagements between the leaders of the two nations. However, the dates of Putin's visit have not been revealed yet.

In his congratulatory message to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Modi on the occasion of India's 76th Republic Day in January, Putin said that Russian-Indian relations are based on "special and privileged strategic partnership".

Putin and Modi maintain regular contact, holding telephone conversations once every couple of months. The two leaders also hold in-person meetings, particularly on the sidelines of international events.