STORY: President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday (December 2) that inflation was expected to be around 6% by the end of December while gross domestic product was expected to rise by 0.5-1% in 2025.

The Russian president was speaking at the annual VTB Investment Forum held over two days in Moscow.

Putin also told Russian and international delegates present at the forum that Moscow planned to boost partnerships with China and India across a number of sectors.

Putin starts a two-day visit to India from Thursday, pitching for more sales of Russian oil, missile systems and fighter jets in a bid to restore energy and defence ties hit by U.S. pressure on the South Asian nation.

Russia has supplied arms to India for decades, with New Delhi emerging as its top buyer of seaborne oil despite Western sanctions after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

But India's crude imports are set to hit a three-year low this month, after the tightening of sanctions on Russia that coincide with its growing purchases of U.S. oil and gas.

On his first visit in four years to the Indian capital for a summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Putin will be accompanied by his defence minister, Andrei Belousov, and a wide-ranging delegation from business and industry.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Putin says inflation falling in Russia; Moscow to boost partnerships with India and China

VIDEO SHOWS: PUTIN SPEAKING AT THE VTB INVESTMENT FORUM 'RUSSIA CALLING!’ / PUTIN SAYING INFLATION SEEN AROUND 6% BY END OF DECEMBER / PUTIN SAYING HE WILL DISCUSS WITH INDIAN PM NARENDRA MODI INDIAN IMPORTS DURING HIS UPCOMING VISIT TO INDIA

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (DECEMBER 2, 2025) (RUSSIAN POOL - Access all)

1.VARIOUS OF RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN SPEAKING AT THE VTB INVESTMENT FORUM 'RUSSIA CALLING!’

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

“The reduction in inflation has been a significant achievement this year. While inflation was estimated at double-digit rates in March, it is now below 7 percent, year-on-year. It is expected to be around 6 percent by the end of December, it means (OVER AUDIENCE LISTENING TO PUTIN) it will be below government and Central Bank forecasts.”

3. FORUM IN PROGRESS

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

“(OVER AUDIENCE LISTENING) We aim to elevate cooperation with the People's Republic of China and the Republic of India to a qualitatively new level by strengthening its technological component. This is the objective of numerous joint projects in energy, industry, space, agriculture, and other sectors. We have established a substantive dialogue on economic issues with the President of the People's Republic of China, Mr. Xi Jinping. We will also discuss these topics in detail during the upcoming visit to India with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including (OVER AUDIENCE LISTENING ) increasing imports of Indian goods to our market.”

5. FORUM IN PROGRESS

6. PUTIN LEAVING STAGE FORUM