Assam tea drew special attention during the gift exchange between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the India-Russia Annual Summit 2025, with the Prime Minister choosing to present specially selected Assam tea as one of the main gifts. The interaction between the two leaders this year included several cultural items, but Assam tea stood out because of its strong identity, long history and importance in India’s economy, especially in the Northeast.
Officials familiar with the visit said the Assam tea presented to President Putin represented the rich tea tradition of the state and the global reputation that Assam tea has earned over many decades. They added that the Prime Minister wanted to highlight products that reflect Indian heritage in a simple but meaningful manner, and Assam tea fitted that purpose very clearly.
The tea gifted to the Russian President comes from plantations along the Brahmaputra plains, where tea cultivation has been part of the local landscape for generations. People in the tea industry in Assam say that the recognition of Assam tea at the level of a state visit helps in reminding the world about the strength of the Indian tea sector and the identity that Assam tea carries. 
