New Delhi [India], April 30 (ANI): Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will represent India at the upcoming Victory Day Parade in Moscow, sources confirmed to ANI on Wednesday.

According to reports, Russia had invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the event. However, the Indian side conveyed earlier that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh would represent the country at the parade instead.

Earlier, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov had confirmed to state news agency TASS that Prime Minister Modi would not attend the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.

Victory Day commemorates the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II and is marked with a grand military parade in the Russian capital.

Rajnath Singh last visited Russia in December 2023 for the commissioning ceremony of the Indian Navy's INS Tushil in Kaliningrad. During that trip, he also paid tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, honouring Soviet soldiers who died in World War II. He also interacted with members of the Indian community.

INS Tushil, commissioned on December 9, is a multi-role stealth-guided missile frigate of the upgraded Krivak III class under Project 1135.6. Of this class, six frigates are already in service with the Indian Navy--three Talwar-class ships built in St. Petersburg and three Teg-class ships constructed at Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad, as per a statement from the Ministry of Defence.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India following an invitation from Prime Minister Modi. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed this in March, saying preparations for the visit are underway.

'[Russian] President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation to visit from the Indian head of government. A visit by the Russian head of state to the Republic of India is currently being prepared,' Lavrov was quoted as saying by TASS.

Last year in July, Prime Minister Modi visited Russia to attend the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit at President Putin's invitation. (ANI)