Know the key Indian officials who made Putin’s Delhi visit a success
Vladimir Putin’s early-December 2025 state visit to India emerged as a carefully choreographed diplomatic exercise underscoring India’s capacity for managing high-profile global engagements. Behind the scenes, a core team of security, diplomatic, and defense officials ensured that every element of the visit moved with precision.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval led the strategic groundwork through multiple interactions in Moscow with Russian security counterparts, laying the foundation for the visit’s security and political agenda. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri steered diplomatic protocol and media outreach, while MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal handled communication through targeted press briefings on the outcomes.
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh anchored defense negotiations, pushing forward key arrangements such as advanced air defence systems and technology cooperation, supported by Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, who co-chaired bilateral military working groups. On the diplomatic front, Ambassador to Russia Vinay Kumar engaged with top Russian officials in Moscow, as Joint Secretary (MEA) Mayank Singh coordinated multilateral and back-end diplomatic work from New Delhi.
Collectively, this network of officials demonstrated a whole-of-government approach to hosting a major world leader and deepening the India–Russia strategic partnership. However, insiders point out that the final word on preparations and messaging remained with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is learned to have personally monitored key aspects of the planning over several months.
