Modi, Putin hold talks in New Delhi on trade, defence

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin commenced discussions in New Delhi on Friday, marking their second meeting in two weeks. The bilateral talks, anticipated to concentrate on enhancing trade, energy, and defense ties between the two nations, are taking place on the cusp of the BRICS leaders' summit in the Indian capital. The summit will see the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, among others.

Modi and Putin are projected to deliberate on collaboration in the fields of civil nuclear energy, fertilizers, defense, critical minerals, manufacturing, railways, and steel, according to an Indian source. The two leaders had previously met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31.

During this meeting, Modi expressed to Putin the urgency of ending the war in Ukraine for the sake of humanity, and assured India's support for any peace initiatives aimed at halting the fighting.

India and China jointly represent among the largest consumers of Russian oil, a fact that has bolstered Moscow's economy following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and subsequent imposition of stringent Western sanctions. India, alongside China, is one of Russia's foremost purchasers of crude oil, which has helped to mitigate the economic strain caused by the Western sanctions.

While India relies heavily on Russian oil to ensure a secure, affordable, and reliable energy supply for its large population and economy, it has resisted external pressures to curtail trade with Russia. The country argues that resolving the Ukraine conflict necessitates dialogue and diplomacy, rather than unilateral actions such as discontinuing energy, metal, or fertilizer trade with Russia.

In 2026, Russia's share of Indian crude imports peaked at a record 51% in July, as disruptions to Middle Eastern supplies led Indian refiners to increasingly depend on Russian oil. However, this figure is expected to decrease in August as China ramped up its purchases of Russian oil, according to reports from Indian media. The two leaders also met in December 2025 in New Delhi for the annual India-Russia summit, during which they agreed to further expand their trade and defense collaboration.