A file image of Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Vyacheslav Volodin
| Photo Credit: AFP

Vyacheslav Volodin, the Chairman of Russia’s State Duma, the lower house of parliament, said on Sunday (February 2, 2025) that he was leaving for India for a series of ‘important’ talks.

“We will be in New Delhi by nightfall, important meetings and negotiations are planned tomorrow,” Mr. Volodin, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, said in a post on his Telegram messaging app.

“India is a strategic partner. We have long-standing relations of trust and mutually beneficial cooperation with it. It is necessary to develop contacts in all areas.”