New Delhi, Sept 11 (NVI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin met here today and agreed to further strengthen the special relationship between their countries, particularly in energy and defence sectors.
This was the second meeting between the two leaders in two weeks and was held on the eve of the annual BRICS Summit which will also be attended by Chinese President Xi
Jinping and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, among others.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Modi and Putin “shared perspectives on … the conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region which have impacted maritime trade and the safety and security of Indian seafarers.”
In a statement, it also said, “The two leaders agreed to remain engaged in an effort to strengthen further the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two countries.”
India is one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil, which has been a sore aspect for the United States as it has been trying to curb the energy exports of Russia because of the Ukraine war.
India has sought to resist the pressure to scale back the trade, saying its large population and economy need secure, affordable and reliable energy supplies.
At the same time, India has said the Ukraine conflict can be resolved only through dialogue and diplomacy and not by some countries stopping energy, metal or fertiliser trade with Russia.
Russia’s share of Indian crude imports rose in 2026, reaching a record 51% in July, as disruptions to Middle Eastern supplies increased Indian refiners’ reliance on Russian oil.
That share likely moderated in August as China stepped up Russian oil purchases, Indian media reported.
During today’s meeting, Modi presented to Putin a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, a revered classical text in India’s Tamil language comprising 1,330 couplets on virtue, governance and love, attributed to the poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar.
The two leaders also visited an India-Russia industrial fair showcasing Russian technology, AI, aviation, space, nuclear science, heavy engineering, mining and banking companies. (NVI)
