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With Russian President Vladimir Putin’s India visit for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit on Dec 4-5, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has revived a sharp political debate over the government’s handling of interactions between foreign dignitaries and the Leader of the Opposition. Gandhi, who became LoP on June 24, 2024, claims the long-standing convention of visiting leaders meeting the opposition is being systematically weakened. He argues that only a handful of foreign leaders have met him so far, calling the government’s approach a sign of “insecurity” in India’s diplomatic conduct.

Rahul Gandhi accused the government of actively discouraging visiting dignitaries from holding formal meetings with him.

He said, “Normally the tradition is that those who come from abroad have a meeting with the LoP… this used to happen during Vajpayee ji’s time, Manmohan Singh ji’s time… but what happens these days is that… the government suggests to them to not meet the LoP.”

Gandhi stressed that such engagement is essential, as the opposition “also represents India”. He added, “The government does not want opposition leaders to meet foreign leaders… this is a tradition, a norm, but Modi ji does not follow this norm, the foreign ministry does not follow this norm.”

Foreign Leaders Visiting India: How Many Actually Met Rahul Gandhi?

Since Rahul Gandhi took over as LoP on June 24, 2024, 37 foreign leaders have visited India. Of these, only four have held meetings with him.

• Aug 1, 2024: Irish Ambassador Kevin Kelly and Deputy Head of Mission Raymond Mullen met Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
• Dec 11, 2024: EU Ambassador Hervé Delphin met Rahul Gandhi.
• May 19, 2025: A French delegation met the Congress leader at his residence.

These limited engagements, Gandhi argues, illustrate a broader pattern of restricting institutional access to the LoP.

Putin’s Visit Highlights The Gap

During Putin’s Dec 4-5, 2025 visit, Rahul Gandhi will not have a one-on-one meeting with the Russian President. He has been invited only to the state banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu on Dec 5, strictly as per protocol-reinforcing his charge that formal LoP engagement is being sidelined.