Context: In this episode of the Perspective Prog. based on India-Russia Annual Summit 2021. Russian President Vladimir Putin will be on an official visit to India on 6th December - for the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

• The visit is in continuation of the tradition of Annual Summits alternately in India and Russia. The last such summit was held in September 2019 during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Vladivostok in Russia.
• The Annual Summit could not take place in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation. This will be the first in-person meeting of the Russian President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi after their meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Brasilia in November 2019. 
• Although there have been several virtual meetings for multilateral summits and telephonic conversations between the two leaders. 
• According to the Ministry of External Affairs, President Putin and Prime Minister Modi will review the state and prospects of bilateral relations and discuss ways to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries. 
• The Summit will also afford an opportunity to exchange views on regional, multilateral and international issues of mutual interest. 
• The annual summit will be preceded by the inaugural 2+2 dialogue of the defence and foreign ministers of India and Russia, and are expected to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries. 
• Today on the show, we will discuss with experts the importance of this visit of the Russian President to India, the range of issues that President Putin and Prime Minister Modi will discuss during the annual summit, What will the 2+2 mechanism focus on and also the concerns in the otherwise steady relationship.

Agenda of 2021 summit

• During the 2021 Summit, both the leaders will review the state and prospects of bilateral relations.
• They will discuss ways to further strengthen the strategic relationship between both the countries.
• Summit will also provide an opportunity to exchange views on international, multilateral and regional issues of mutual interest.
• They will exchange views on topical issues on the international agenda, such as joint work within the BRICS, G20, and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

2+2 Ministerial dialogue

• The 2+2 Ministerial dialogue will be held between both the countries on December 6, 2021. 
• It will be held by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov & Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu with their Indian counterparts, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

India-Russia Relations

• Presently, Russia is the largest Defence Supplier of India. India has bought defence systems like S-400 from Russia. 
• India and Russia are members of BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Russia also supports for India’s permanent membership at United Nations Security Council (UNSC). 
• Astronauts who have been shortlisted for the Human Space Flight Programme of India were trained by Russia. Russia is also helping India in building Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu.