Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in New Delhi, seeking to deepen one of India's oldest strategic partnerships just a day before leaders of the expanded BRICS grouping gather in the capital.
The meeting covered trade, energy, defence and other areas of cooperation, while the two leaders also discussed the wars in Ukraine and West Asia and their growing impact on global trade. India's foreign ministry said Modi and Putin agreed to remain closely engaged and further strengthen what both countries describe as their “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership”.
The meeting was their second in less than two weeks. Modi and Putin had met on August 31 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, where they reviewed cooperation in defence, energy, space, trade and investment. Putin's arrival in Delhi therefore reflects a relationship that has remained unusually resilient despite enormous geopolitical pressure on both countries.
Energy remains at the centre of that relationship. India became one of the world's largest buyers of Russian crude after Western sanctions pushed Moscow to redirect oil away from Europe following its invasion of Ukraine. New Delhi has resisted pressure to reduce those purchases, arguing that affordable and reliable energy is essential for its population and economy. Russia's share of India's crude imports reached a record 51% in July as disruptions to Middle Eastern supplies made Russian oil even more important to Indian refiners.
Trade between the two countries has consequently expanded dramatically, although it remains heavily tilted towards Russian exports. India and Russia are now targeting bilateral trade of $100 billion by 2030, up from nearly $70 billion in 2024-25. Both sides are trying to broaden that relationship beyond oil and defence into technology, fertilisers, pharmaceuticals, aviation, nuclear energy, critical minerals, manufacturing and investment.
Modi and Putin also visited an India-Russia industrial fair in Delhi showcasing cooperation in areas including artificial intelligence, aviation, space, nuclear technology, mining, heavy engineering and banking. Modi presented Putin with a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, the ancient Tamil work attributed to philosopher-poet Thiruvalluvar.
India's foreign ministry said the two leaders exchanged views on conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region, particularly their impact on maritime trade and the safety of Indian seafarers. Modi again told Putin that conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy and said India remained prepared to contribute to peace efforts.
The talks also underline the difficult diplomatic position India is attempting to maintain. New Delhi has strengthened strategic ties with the United States and Europe while refusing to abandon its decades-old relationship with Moscow. At the same time, it maintains relations with Israel and Iran, has important economic ties with Gulf Arab states and is cautiously rebuilding relations with China.
That balancing act will become even more visible this weekend.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are among the leaders gathering in Delhi for the BRICS summit. The expanded 11-member organisation now represents nearly half of the world's population, but its members remain divided over the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and over how directly BRICS should challenge the Western-led international order.
Putin's meeting with Modi therefore served as more than another bilateral engagement.
