Modi tells Putin: 'Time to move away from endless war to end of war' at SCO summit

Modi meets Putin on SCO sidelines

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31. During the bilateral meeting, Modi reaffirmed India's support for all efforts towards peace in Ukraine and called for an end to the ongoing conflict.

"As you know, India supports all efforts towards peace and will continue to do so. Every day spent in war pushes humanity backwards, while every step taken towards peace fills humanity with a new hope and enthusiasm. We must move from an endless war towards an end to the war. This is essential for the well-being of humanity," Modi said in his opening remarks, as reported by ANI and Lokmat Times.

'Call of humanity'

Modi emphasised that a peaceful resolution to all issues at the earliest is "the call of humanity," and that this is India's message. He added, "The land of Gandhi and the land of Buddha have one message: to follow the path of peace." The prime minister also recalled his previous statement made during the last SCO summit in Samarkand in 2022: "Today's era is not an era of war."

Invitation to BRICS summit

Modi also extended an invitation to Putin to attend the BRICS summit, which India will host in Delhi next month. "In a few days from now, India will host the BRICS Summit. All Indians are very eager to welcome you and your delegation to India. Your visit will further strengthen our bilateral relations and also enhance dialogue and cooperation within BRICS," Modi said.

Context and prior engagements

According to reports, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had met Putin in Moscow last week and handed over a "personal message" from Modi. Jaishankar also co-chaired the 27th session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation with Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov.

Putin, at the beginning of the meeting, noted that relations between Russia and India were continuing to grow stronger. He expressed gratitude for Modi's attention to bilateral relations and noted that trade turnover between the two countries has increased this year, with cooperation in fertilizers, nuclear energy, and high-tech sectors. Russia remains one of India's key strategic partners, particularly in defence and energy.