Modi, Putin Hold Talks in New Delhi on Trade and Defence
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in New Delhi on Friday, focusing on strengthening bilateral ties in areas including trade, energy and defence. The meeting comes just two weeks after the two leaders met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek.
The discussions are expected to cover cooperation in civil nuclear energy, fertilisers, defence, critical minerals, manufacturing, railways and steel. India and Russia have maintained long-standing ties, while India continues to emphasise that the Ukraine conflict should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
Energy is also expected to remain a key part of the relationship. Russia accounted for a record 51% of India’s crude oil imports in July 2026, as disruptions to Middle Eastern supplies increased India’s reliance on Russian oil. The talks are taking place ahead of the BRICS summit in New Delhi, which will bring together leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
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