What did Putin write regarding Gandhi in Rajghat's visitors' book
What's the story
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is on a two-day visit to India, paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on Thursday. He called Gandhi one of the founders of modern India and credited him with an "invaluable contribution" to world peace. In the visitor's book at Rajghat, Putin wrote, "The great philosopher and humanist Mahatma Gandhi made an invaluable contribution to world peace. His ideas on freedom, virtue, and humanity remain relevant to this day."
Visionary thoughts
Putin highlights Gandhi's vision for global equality
Putin recalled Gandhi's letters to Leo Tolstoy, where he "spoke extensively about the future of the world, free from dictates and hegemony, based on the principles of equality, mutual respect, and cooperation among peoples." He said it is "precisely these principles and values that Russia and India jointly defend on the international stage today." "Mahatma Gandhi, in fact, anticipated the new, more just, multipolar world order that is now in its infancy," he wrote.
Twitter Post
Putin signed the visitors' book
Delhi | Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the visitors' book at the Rajghat, where he paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. pic.twitter.com/1Eku1nN4Ua
— ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2025
Diplomatic discussions
Putin's visit to India focuses on strengthening ties
Putin arrived in New Delhi on Thursday evening to attend the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit. In a rare move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke protocol and received Putin at the Palam airport. Putin's visit comes as Moscow seeks to strengthen ties with India, which is already the largest buyer of Russian arms. Officials have stated that they seek to increase trade with India to $100 billion by 2030, up from the all-time high of $68 billion in 2024.