President Dmitry Medvedev goes on Thursday on another foreign tour. He will visit this time India and Italy. The Russian head of state returned to Moscow just on Saturday after an eight-day tour of Lisbon, Lima, Rio de Janeiro, Caracas and Havana.

The Russian president’s aide Sergei Prikhodko told Itar-Tass that on arriving in New Delhi on Thursday, Medvedev will meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a working dinner. The main part of talks with the Indian cabinet head, including in the enlarged format, will be held on Friday.

Besides, the Russian leader will have a meeting on Friday with Indian President Pratibha Patil, Vice-President M.H. Ansari, chairwoman of the Indian National Congress Party Sonya Gandhi, opposition leader L.K. Advani and Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

The closing ceremony of Year of Russia in India to be held at the concert hall Siri Fort will be one of important items of the visit programme of the Russian president.

Quite a number of protocol events, necessary in case of an official visit, are planned during the visit. For instance Medvedev will participate in the official meeting ceremony in the square in front of the President’s Palace, in the wreath-laying ceremony at the place of Mahatma Gandhi''s cremation, Medvedev and Singh will have a joint picture taken. The Russian leader will also attend an official luncheon in his honour on behalf of the Indian president.