NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin started talks in New Delhi on Friday (Sep 11), their second assembly in two weeks, that’s anticipated to deal with commerce, vitality and defence ties between the 2 international locations, which have lengthy been pals.
The talks are being held on the eve of the annual summit of BRICS leaders within the Indian capital, which is able to see the participation of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, amongst others.
Modi and Putin are anticipated to debate cooperation between the 2 international locations in civil nuclear vitality, fertilisers, defence, important minerals, manufacturing, railways, and metal, an Indian supply stated.
The 2 leaders met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Aug 31, the place Modi instructed Putin that the warfare in Ukraine wanted to finish for humanity’s sake and that New Delhi would help each peace effort to cease the combating.
India, together with China, is likely one of the largest patrons of Russian oil, which is seen as serving to Moscow replenish its price range because it despatched tens of 1000’s of troops into Ukraine in 2022 and was hit with sweeping Western sanctions.
India has, nevertheless, sought to withstand the strain, saying its giant inhabitants and economic system want safe, reasonably priced and dependable vitality provides. New Delhi has additionally stated that the Ukraine battle may be resolved solely by dialogue and diplomacy and never by some international locations stopping vitality, metallic or fertiliser commerce with Russia.
Russia’s share of Indian crude imports rose in 2026, reaching a document 51 per cent in July, as disruptions to Center Japanese provides elevated Indian refiners’ reliance on Russian oil. That share possible moderated in August as China stepped up Russian oil purchases, Indian media reported.
Putin visited India in December 2025 as effectively for the annual India-Russia summit and the 2 international locations agreed to develop their commerce and defence relationship.
