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Inside Modi-Putin meet: PM nudges Russia to end Ukraine war, $100 billion trade target by 2030
In the context of bilateral ties, the two leaders reviewed progress in political, economic, defence, energy and space cooperation.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi again nudged Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to end the conflict in Ukraine, reiterating that dialogue and diplomacy is the way forward, as the two leaders assessed progress in economic, defence and energy cooperation and mobility of workers.
Modi and Putin met for the second time in less than a fortnight on the margins of the Brics Summit in New Delhi – they last held talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Bishkek on August 31 – and reviewed bilateral ties and exchanged notes on global and regional issues.
The PM “again reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy was the way forward in resolving conflicts and India stood ready to assist in peace efforts”, the external affairs ministry said in a readout on the meeting held at Bharat Mandapam, the venue for the Brics Summit.
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Among the regional and global issues that figured in their talks were the “conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region which have impacted maritime trade and the safety and security of Indian seafarers”, the readout said.
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At least five Indian seafarers have been killed in attacks on merchant vessels in the Black Sea in recent weeks and the Indian side has registered protests with both Russia and Ukraine over these incidents that it described as unacceptable.
During his last meeting with Putin in Bishkek, Modi had said in the context of the Ukraine conflict that “endless war must give way to the end of war”. This was largely in line with the PM’s earlier assertions to Putin that this is not the era of war and solutions cannot be found on the battlefield.
In the context of bilateral ties, the two leaders reviewed progress in political, economic, defence, energy and space cooperation, the mobility of skills and people-to-people contacts, the readout said.
People familiar with the matter said the trade target of $100 billion, including enhanced cooperation in key areas such as railways and the steel value chain and bolstering access to the Russian market, figured in the discussions.
Also read: Putin invites PM Modi to Russia for 24th India-Russia Annual Summit
The issue of expanding opportunities for Indian skilled workers in Russia, collaboration in critical minerals, and the supply of fertilisers also came up, the people said.
The two leaders also visited Russia’s international industrial exhibition Innoprom India, being held for the first time at Bharat Mandapam during September 9-11. They emphasised its importance in expanding trade and industrial ties.
India and Russia have set a target for expanding two-way trade from the current level of around $60 billion to $100 billion by 2030. However, India's exports have languished at around $5 billion for the past few years while Russian exports have swelled, largely on the back of India's purchases of Russian energy.
Modi and Putin also discussed India-Russia engagement in the multilateral sphere, especially at Brics under India’s presidency of the bloc for 2026. They agreed to remain engaged to further strengthen the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two countries, which “continues to register significant growth and has shown resilience in the backdrop of geopolitical uncertainties”, the readout said.
Modi accepted Putin's invitation to visit Russia for the 24th India-Russia Summit. The dates for the annual summit will be decided through diplomatic channels.
