INDIA NEWS

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to skip Russia’s Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.

By Aniket Chakraborty

May 3, 2025

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Originally scheduled to attend for PM Modi, Singh’s visit was dropped after the Pahalgam terror attack.

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India will instead send Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth to the 9 May event.

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Image Credit | @SethSanjayMP | X

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Victory Day marks the Soviet Union’s 80th anniversary of triumph over Nazi Germany.

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Rising India-Pakistan tensions after the Pahalgam attack drove the decision for scaled-back attendance.

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26 people were killed in the April 22 Pahalgam attack, allegedly linked to Pakistan-based terrorists.

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Russia’s President Putin had condemned the attack, reaffirming solidarity with India against terrorism.

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PM Modi has granted full operational freedom to India’s forces to respond to the terror strike.

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Pakistan has claimed India may initiate military action in retaliation, heightening regional tensions.

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Meanwhile, Putin is still expected to visit India later this year for the annual summit.

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