Modi and Putin agree to deepen India-Russia ties at Delhi talks

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed during talks in New Delhi to deepen bilateral ties between their countries. The meeting took place ahead of a gathering of BRICS leaders that also includes Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

India's Ministry of External Affairs said Modi and Putin exchanged views on conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region, which affect commercial shipping and the safety of Indian sailors. The two leaders agreed to continue engagement to further strengthen the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two countries. The countries also announced plans to raise bilateral trade from nearly $70 billion in 2024-2025 to $100 billion by 2030.

Putin criticizes the West

Speaking at the BRICS forum, Putin criticized Western countries, claiming they are trying by various means to regain their former leading position, including through physical attacks on infrastructure and pipelines, blocking of vessels, and threats of secondary sanctions. Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev said BRICS is evolving from a geopolitical bloc into a more practical economic partnership focused on developing infrastructure, business and payment systems.

Finance ministers and central bank governors of BRICS member states expressed concern over unilateral trade restrictions and tariffs that run counter to World Trade Organization rules.

India, along with China, remains among the largest buyers of Russian oil, providing Moscow with revenue to fund its war against Ukraine. In July 2024, Modi visited Moscow and met with Putin on the same day Russia carried out a missile strike on the Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv. In October 2024, Modi attended the BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan, a move that angered US President Donald Trump, who threatened 100% tariffs on countries continuing to buy Russian oil and gas.