Meeting in Bishkek
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on Monday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek. The talks covered the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the state of India-Russia relations.
Modi, who addressed Putin as "my friend," reiterated India's longstanding position on the war, saying that New Delhi would support every effort to end the fighting. "As you are aware, India supports all peace efforts in this regard, and we shall continue to do so in the future," he said, according to a Kremlin transcript of their exchange reported by The Straits Times.
He stressed the humanitarian cost of the conflict, stating, "Every day that the war continues, humanity is, in effect, set back a step, whilst every step towards peace gives all of humanity real hope for peace." He added, "We need to move from endless war to an end to the war, to a cessation of hostilities. And we will need to move precisely in this direction."
India's Message of Peace
In his remarks, Modi said that India had consistently discussed the Ukraine conflict with Putin and would continue to support peace efforts. He noted that "When we met previously, you briefed me in detail on all aspects of the matter," as reported by Business Today.
Modi further elaborated on India's stance: "As you know, India supports all efforts towards peace and will continue to do so. Every day spent in war sets humanity back, whereas every step taken towards peace fills humanity with new hope and enthusiasm." He called for a shift "away from endless war towards an end to the war," asserting that this is "essential for the well-being of humanity."
He also framed the issue in cultural terms, saying that "the land of Gandhi and the land of Buddha share a single message: 'the path of peace.'" Modi described a peaceful resolution to all issues at the earliest as "the call of humanity," and said that this is India's message.
The Kremlin said after the talks that Putin had briefed Modi on how the special military operation in Ukraine was progressing, as reported by the state TASS news agency.
Strengthening Bilateral Ties
Beyond the Ukraine conflict, both leaders spoke positively about the trajectory of India-Russia relations. Modi highlighted the continuing expansion of cooperation between the two countries, telling Putin, "Your visit to India last year was highly successful and truly memorable." He expressed "deep satisfaction" that their cooperation "continues to scale new heights" and that they are "working together for the welfare of the people of both nations."
Modi also emphasized a shared approach to national interest: "Moving forward with national interest as the paramount priority has been our shared approach, and this will remain our guiding principle in the future as well."
Putin, in turn, hailed the partnership, saying that Russian-Indian relations continued to strengthen on the basis of a "special and privileged partnership." He credited Modi's personal attention and the established business and friendly relations for this progress. "I would like to note with satisfaction that Russian-Indian relations continue to strengthen on the basis of the principles of a special and privileged partnership," Putin said, adding, "Distinguished Prime Minister, this is aided by your special attention to Russian-Indian relations and the business and friendly relations that have been established between us. I am very grateful to you for that."
Economic Context
India, along with China, is one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil, a factor that has helped Moscow shore up its budget since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the subsequent Western sanctions, as noted by The Straits Times.
TASS, reporting on the meeting, quoted Modi as saying that Russian-Indian cooperation is "constantly reaching new frontiers" and that the two countries are "working together for the benefit of the peoples of our countries." He added, "Moving forward together has been our shared vision and will remain our guiding principle."