THIS is the moment Vladimir Putin is honoured with hymns and incense ahead of his visit to India.
Indians lined the streets to perform “aarti”, a Hindu worship ritual, in front of a framed portrait of tyrant Putin.
Videos show women in Varanasi lighting candles and chanting prayers to the Russian leader, playing music usually only used for religious ceremonies.
Locals waved Indian flags in a bizarre display of reverence, before Putin landed for a visit to the country today, November 4.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi will host Putin for a private dinner as part of the two-day state visit.
The pair were pictured embracing after the Russian leader touched down at the Palam Air Base in New Delhi.
Elsewhere in India, crowds chanted “long live President Putin” in a street procession.
Photos showing Putin and Modu shaking hands plastered the streets, as devotees hung banners declaring “long live India-Russia friendship”.
Images even circulated online depicting the Russian president as a Hindu deity.
India and Russia want to do more trade with each other – reports suggested a $2bn deal for a Russian-made submarine had been signed by India before Putin had even touched down in the country.
The visit aims to grow business links between the two nations beyond defence equipment and energy.
The Russian leader’s first visit to India since the invasion Ukraine comes as Modi is pressured by the US and others to stop buying Russian oil.
Since Putin invaded Ukraine, India has become Russia‘s biggest buyer of seaborne oil.
Diplomats are trying to get India to use its influence on the Kremlin to help end the war, arguing that Modi is one of few people who Putin still “listens” to.
Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski, Poland’s Secretary of State appealed to Modi in an interview with The Indian Express.
He said: “I would very much hope that Prime Minister Modi will tell Putin: ‘Listen, President, maybe you should sign the peace deal with Ukraine, because it’s not to our advantage, it’s not to your advantage, and nobody else, to have that conflict’.”
He added: “Putin pays attention to what Prime Minister Modi tells him.”
Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Kremlin Chief of Staff, announced to a New Delhi business conference that the Russians are in India “with a very specific goal”.
Oreshkin said: “We have come for Indian goods and services. We want to significantly increase their purchases.”
Piyush Goyal, the Indian Trade Minister said his country wants to sell more cars, heavy machinery, electric goods, food and textiles to Russia.
He said: “We need to bring more diversity in our trade basket.”
“We need to make it more balanced between Russia and India. We need to add more variety.”
Putin and Modi will dine together tonight, before formal summit talks tomorrow, November 5.
