Indian tricolour lights up Moscow's Ostankino Tower as PM Modi visits Russia (WATCH)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Moscow this evening, marking the first time he visited Russia since it launched its campaign in Ukraine. Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov received him at the airport. 

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Russia on Monday for a two-day official visit to the country, the Indian tricolour lit up Moscow's Ostankino Tower, which is the tallest free-standing structure in Europe.  It was done as a tribute to PM Modi's state visit to the country.

This is Modi's first visit to Russia since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022. His last visit to Russia was in 2019 when he attended an economic conclave in the Far East city of Vladivostok.

PM Modi was received by the First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Denis Manturov. Manturov is senior to the Deputy Prime Minister who received the Chinese President during his visit to Russia.

Putin will host a private dinner for PM Modi on the day of arrival. The next day, PM Modi's interactions would include an interaction with the Indian diaspora in Russia. The Prime Minister will also lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Kremlin on June 9. Thereafter, he will visit the Rosatom pavilion at the exhibition venue in Moscow.

Earlier, the Kremlin said that deepening trade and economic cooperation would be one of the key themes of the meeting between PM Modi and Vladimir Putin during the latter's visit.

From Russia, PM Modi will travel to Vienna for the first visit to the Austrian capital by an Indian leader since former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1983.