Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Monday and reiterated India's support for peace as the war between Russia and Ukraine has been going on for over four years.
“We must move away from endless war towards an end to the war. This is essential for the well-being of humanity. A peaceful resolution to all issues at the earliest is the call of humanity, and this is India’s message,” Modi said during the meeting.
He added that the “land of Gandhi and the land of Buddha share a single message: the path of peace."
Deep Dive
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Delivering India's peace message, Modi said that the country stands with all efforts towards peace.
“Every day spent in war sets humanity back, whereas every step taken towards peace fills humanity with new hope and enthusiasm,” Modi said as the two leaders met for the first time this year.
{{/usCountry}}“Every day spent in war sets humanity back, whereas every step taken towards peace fills humanity with new hope and enthusiasm,” Modi said as the two leaders met for the first time this year.
{{/usCountry}}The last time Modi and Putin met was in December 2025 when the Russian President visited India on a two-day state visit for the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit.
The two leaders shared a warm hug ahead of their meeting in Bishkek.
Modi recalled Putin's visit to India last year and called it “highly successful and memorable” and also invited the Russian President for the BRICS summit slated for later this year in India, saying that the entire country was “eager” to welcome him.
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“Your visit to India last year was highly successful and truly memorable... It is a matter of deep satisfaction for us that our cooperation continues to scale new heights and that we are working together for the welfare of the people of both nations. Moving forward with national interest as the paramount priority has been our shared approach, and this will remain our guiding principle in the future as well,” the Prime Minister said.
“India is hosting the BRICS Summit in a few days, and all Indians are eager to welcome you and your delegation. Your visit will strengthen our bilateral relations and further reinforce dialogue and cooperation within the BRICS framework,” he added.
Putin hails Modi's ‘special attention’ to India-Russia ties
During the bilateral meet, Putin said that the ties between India and Russia continue to strengthen “on the basis of the principles of a special and privileged partnership.”
He hailed Modi's efforts towards bringing the two countries together and for paying special attention to the relations of India and Russia.
“Distinguished Prime Minister, this is aided by your special attention to Russian-Indian relations and the business and friendly relations that have been established between us. I am very grateful to you for that,” Putin said.