Sonia Gandhi in Russia to meet Putin

The Italian-born Gandhi, accompanied by Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh, was greeted on her arrival in Moscow by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Saltanov, according to Dialogue of Civilisations, a non-governmental group that organised Gandhi's visit.

In a statement, the group said Gandhi would privately tour sites in and around Moscow and Saint Petersburg, noting that she was travelling to Russia with the official status of "guest of the president of the Russian Federation."

Indian officials in Moscow have described the invitation as "an exceptional gesture of friendship made by the Russian president" and said Gandhi's meeting with Putin in Saint Petersburg on Thursday would be the "centrepiece" of her trip.

They also noted that it was Gandhi's first visit to a country that holds a permanent seat on the UN Security Council since she assumed the leadership of the governing, Congress-led United Programme Alliance coalition in India in May last year.