Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to visit India this year: Spokesman Dmitry Peskov

BEIJING: Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to visit India this year to strengthen bilateral strategic ties, his spokesman said here today.

"The Russian president plans to visit India before the end of the year," Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

"The visit will allow bringing bilateral relations between Russia and India to a new level," he was quoted as saying by Russia's official ITAR-TASS news agency.

Putin is currently in the Chinese capital Beijing to attend APEC summit.

Putin made his maiden visit to India in December 2002 during his first term as the president.

In December 2004 and January 2007 he visited India again while serving as the president for the second term.

Putin last visited India in December 2012. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met Putin for the first time on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit at Fortaleza, Brazil in July.

The two leaders had said they look forward to their Annual Summit in Delhi in December 2014 as an opportunity to outline a bold vision and roadmap for their relationship in the years ahead.