New Delhi, Dec. 3 -- Former diplomat Anil Trigunayat stated Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to India will be crucial for both nations, describing it as "a highly significant and substantive visit."

Speaking on the longstanding ties between New Delhi and Moscow, Trigunayat said, "It is under President Putin that we started this annual summit as a part of the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership since 2000. It's been almost 25 years since that mechanism has worked extremely well for both countries." He noted that regular dialogue has helped both sides maintain steady engagement over the years.

He added that the leadership in both nations has remained in close contact, saying, "Both the leaders have been talking t...