Putin and Modi discuss trade and peace at New Delhi meeting

2025-12-05 14:18:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi began their talks in New Delhi on Friday, discussing trade between their countries and peace in Ukraine.

India welcomed the Russian leader with a red carpet welcome, and Modi told him that India supports peace efforts in Ukraine.

This is Putin's first visit to India in four years, and his aim is to boost trade with Russia's main buyer of arms and sea-borne oil, at a time when Western sanctions are putting pressure on their long-standing ties.

The visit comes at a time when New Delhi is engaged in talks with the United States on a trade deal aimed at reducing punitive tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on Indian goods due to India's purchase of Russian oil.

Moscow has been India's main arms supplier for decades and has said it wants to import more Indian goods in a bid to boost trade to $100 billion by 2030, a trade that has so far been largely in Russia's favor due to Indian energy imports.

Since European countries reduced their dependence on Russian energy after the invasion of Ukraine almost four years ago, India increased its purchases of Russian oil at a discount, before reducing them again this year under pressure from US tariffs and sanctions.

"India is not neutral, India has a stance, and that stance is for peace," Modi told Putin at the opening of the talks.

"We support every effort for peace and stand shoulder to shoulder with every initiative taken for peace," he added.

Putin, in response, thanked Modi for his attention and efforts to find a solution to the conflict.

"We had the opportunity, and you gave me this opportunity, to talk in detail about what is happening on the Ukrainian side and about the steps we are taking together with a number of other partners, including the United States, towards a possible peaceful resolution of this crisis," Putin said.

"As our countries and economies grow, the opportunities for cooperation are also expanding," he added.

India and Russia are expected to sign a number of agreements at the end of the official talks. Modi and Putin are also expected to discuss issues including manpower and civil nuclear energy.

Putin arrived in India a day after holding talks with Trump's top envoys on a possible peace deal to end the war in Ukraine, but they failed to reach any compromise.

India has refused to condemn Russia for the war and has called for peace through dialogue and diplomacy, while saying its ties with Moscow have been unfairly targeted by Western countries, which, according to India, have continued to do business with Moscow when it was in their interest./ Rel