‘Stood by each other in most difficult situations’: PM Modi on India-Russia ties
Putin gave Modi a lift in his armoured Aurus limousine from the summit venue to the hotel where the formal meeting was held.
NEW DELHI: India and Russia reaffirmed their long-standing strategic partnership on Monday against the backdrop of US pressure on India to curb Russian energy purchases, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi telling President Vladimir Putin that the two countries have stood side by side in the most difficult times.
As the two leaders met on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, Modi said he looked forward to welcoming Putin in India in December for an annual summit. In addition to the bilateral meeting, which lasted close to an hour, the two leaders held informal talks for almost 45 minutes. Putin gave Modi a lift in his armoured Aurus limousine from the summit venue to the hotel where the formal meeting was held.
The two leaders also shared views on the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine, the Indian Prime Minister’s Office said. Putin said while addressing the SCO Summit that Russia values the efforts and proposals of India, China and other strategic partners aimed at facilitating a settlement of the Ukraine crisis.
“India and Russia have always stood shoulder-to-shoulder even in the most difficult situations. Our close cooperation is important not only for the people of both our countries, but also for global peace, stability and prosperity,” Modi said at the start of the bilateral meeting, speaking in Hindi.
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Noting that regular contacts between the leadership of the two sides and numerous recent high-level meetings reflect the depth and scope of the bilateral special and privileged strategic partnership, Modi said: “At this time, 1.4 billion Indians are eagerly waiting to welcome you for our 23rd summit in December.”
Putin described Modi as a “dear friend” and said bilateral ties continue to develop on the basis of the special and privileged strategic partnership launched between the two countries almost 15 years ago.
“Trade and economic ties as a whole are showing positive dynamics,” Putin said. “Russia and India have maintained special friendly and trust-based relations for decades.”
A readout from the external affairs ministry said the two leaders reaffirmed their support for further strengthening the bilateral strategic partnership. Modi posted a picture on social media of him and Putin in the armoured limousine, and said conversations with the Russian leader are “always insightful”.
In a separate social media post, Modi said that he had an “excellent meeting” with Putin and discussed ways to deepen cooperation in areas such as trade, fertilisers, space, and security. “Our special and privileged strategic partnership remains a vital pillar of regional and global stability,” he added.
The two leaders met four days after President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian exports, including a 25% punitive levy over India’s purchase of Russian oil, further exacerbating strains on the relationship between India and the US. Trump’s aides have criticised India’s purchases of Russian military hardware and contended that the Indian side was funding Putin’s war machine and profiteering by reselling Russian energy.
The Indian side has said its acquisition of Russian oil and defence equipment were driven by energy security and national security. It has defended its long-standing strategic relations with Russia and said these ties shouldn’t be seen from the prism of a third country.
Modi and Putin discussed bilateral cooperation in the economic, financial and energy sectors and expressed satisfaction with the sustained growth in ties in these areas, the Indian readout said.
They also discussed regional and global issues, including the latest developments related to Ukraine. Modi reiterated his support for recent initiatives to address the conflict in Ukraine, and emphasised the need to expedite the cessation of hostilities and find a durable peace settlement.
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“We’ve been having regular discussions on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. We welcome all the recent efforts towards establishing peace,” Modi said. “We hope that all parties shall proceed ahead constructively. A way must be found to end this conflict and establish lasting peace.”
Sameer Patil, a Mumbai-based security expert, said the Modi-Putin meeting reaffirms India’s traditionally strong ties with Russia. "American tariffs and Trump’s actions have added an important sub-context to this engagement. However, this bonhomie between Modi and Putin cannot hide the abysmal trade between India and Russia, with the latter enjoying a significant trade surplus. To deepen ties, New Delhi and Moscow will have to do much to ameliorate the trade ties."
India is the second-largest buyer of Russian oil after China, and Moscow accounts for almost 40% of the country’s energy imports. Purchases were ramped up after the West slapped sanctions on Russia over the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
While two-way trade reached a record high of $68.7 billion in 2024-25, India’s exports were valued at only $4.88 billion. Indian officials have expressed concern at the trade imbalance and called on Moscow to do more to diversify the trade basket and improve access to Russian markets.
