Modi to join 'black-belt' Putin, Abe to watch judo bout

Vladimir Putin's love for judo is well known and he now seems keen to share it with Narendra Modi, whom he will host at Vladivostok in the far east of Russia on Wednesday and Thursday.

Just before Prime Minister Modi concludes his 36-hour-visit to Vladivostok and departs for New Delhi on Sept.5, the Russian President will take him to a stadium to watch an international judo tournament currently taking place in the city, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale told journalists in New Delhi. The two leaders are also likely to have a chat with the participants, including a six-member team from India.

Modi will hold the annual India-Russia summit with Putin in Vladivostok on Sept.4. He will also attend the Eastern Economic Forum hosted by Putin will host on Sept.5.

Putin's penchant for martial arts is well known. He started practising judo when he was just an 11-year-old and went on to secure an 8th Dan (rank) Black Belt.

Udriin Sonin, a newspaper published from Ulan Bator in Mongolia, recently quoted him saying in an interview that judo helped people make lives better, developing “willpower, respect for others, fortitude, ability to take a hit and emerge from any difficulties while retaining dignity”.

Putin and Modi will also be joined by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, when they will visit the Fetisov Arena, a stadium named after Russian hockey legend Vladislav Fetisov, to meet the participants of the annual International Jigoro Kano Judo Tournament.

Abe is also a judo enthusiast. He recently attended the finals of the World Judo Championship held at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.

The judokas under the age of 18 from Russia, India, Japan, China, Korea and Mongolia are participating in the tournament. India's six-member team will join the participants of other nations in the march-past after the Russian president arrives in the stadium with his guests.

Putin, Modi and Abe will also watch the tournament's final mixed (male and female) match, which will have six rounds and will be followed by the award ceremony. They will depart after the event comes to its end with the playing of the national anthem of the country represented by the winning team, but not before posing with the participating judokas for a photo-op.

Soon after Prime Minister arrives in Vladivostok on Sept.4, the Russian president will take him on a visit to Zvezda Shipyard in Bolshoy Kamen. The ships built at the shipyard in future will be used to supply oil and liquefied natural gas from Russia to world markets, including India, Putin aide, Yuri Ushakov was recently quoted by TASS.