India's equity benchmarks are set to open higher on Friday, after last session's steep intraday losses, on optimism that a proposed U.S.-Russia presidential meeting next week could ease Washington's stance on India's energy engagement with Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit India soon, National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval said on Thursday. Doval, who is in Moscow, did not specify the dates, but Interfax news agency reported it's likely to take place later this year.

Indian NSA Ajit Doval has confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin will be visiting India later this year. This visit marks a pivotal moment in geopolitics, coming just as U.S.-India relations sour over Trump’s harsh new tariffs.