Modi Invited to Moscow’s Victory Day Parade; Rajnath Singh Likely To Go Instead

New Delhi: Russia has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the May 9 celebrations in the country marking 80 years of Germany’s defeat in the second World War.

Russian deputy foreign minister Andrey Rudenko said Modi has been invited to the May 9 parade. “It's being worked out...He has an invitation," Rudenko said.

However, people familiar with the matter have said that Union defence minister Rajnath Singh is expected to attend the event instead of Modi, according to news agency PTI.

While Union external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that Modi had received the invitation, he added that "we will be announcing our participation in Victory Day celebrations at the appropriate time”.

Other nations with friendly relations with Russia are also expected to attend the parade.

The Moscow Victory Day Parade is an annual military parade of the Russian Armed Forces on Moscow's Red Square on May 9. The Act of Unconditional Surrender of Germany, which ended the war, was signed on this day in 1945.

Modi travelled to Russia twice last year – in July, for the 22nd Russia-India summit, and in October, for the BRICS summit.

During his last visit, Modi had invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit India. Putin is expected to visit India this year, PTI reported.

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