Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor described the Rashtrapati Bhavan banquet hosted for Russian President Vladimir Putin as a warm and engaging evening, noting that he particularly enjoyed his conversations with members of the visiting Russian delegation. Tharoor attended the state dinner held on Friday, the final night of Putin’s two-day visit to India, during which both sides unveiled a major joint declaration to deepen cooperation across defence, energy, trade, security and education.
President Droupadi Murmu welcomed Putin by highlighting that the visit coincided with the 25th anniversary of the India–Russia strategic partnership, first formalised during Putin’s 2000 visit. She commended Putin’s personal commitment to strengthening the bilateral relationship, while the Russian leader said that the latest declaration would give a strong push to future collaboration.
Even as Tharoor publicly praised the evening, the Congress party voiced its displeasure over the guest list. The party criticised the government for not inviting Opposition leaders—Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera accused the government of violating long-standing protocol and suggested that political motivations were behind the exclusion. He also implied that Congress functionaries who attended despite the absence of their leaders should question their own conscience.
Tharoor, who chairs the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, noted earlier that committee heads were once routinely included in such events, suggesting that protocol changes over recent years may explain the invitation dynamics. His diplomatic and appreciative tone contrasted sharply with his party’s criticism.
Rahul Gandhi added to the tension on the eve of Putin’s arrival by alleging that the government discourages visiting foreign dignitaries from meeting the Leader of the Opposition due to insecurity, adding a political charge to the high-profile diplomatic visit.
