New Delhi, Aug 31: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin reviewed bilateral cooperation on Monday and discussed conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region, as geopolitical tensions continue to affect maritime trade and the safety of Indian seafarers.
The meeting, held in Bishkek on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, was the first between the two leaders this year.
They last met in New Delhi in December 2025 for the 23rd annual India-Russia summit.
PM Modi and Russian President Putin reviewed cooperation across political, economic, defence, energy, space, mobility, and people-to-people ties, the ministry said.
The leaders also welcomed the outcome of a meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, and Cultural matters held in Moscow on August 24.
Their talks come as India seeks to maintain its longstanding strategic relationship with Moscow while navigating a turbulent geopolitical environment marked by conflicts and growing pressure on global trade and energy routes.
The two leaders exchanged views on multilateral cooperation, including the BRICS grouping, which India is chairing this year, and discussed key regional and global issues of mutual interest.
On the conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region, PM Modi reiterated India’s position that dialogue and diplomacy were the way forward for resolving conflicts.
The Government of India said the two sides agreed to remain engaged to further strengthen their “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership”, which it said had shown resilience despite geopolitical uncertainties.
PM Modi also said he looked forward to welcoming Russian President Putin to India for the 18th BRICS summit, scheduled for September 12-13.
India has maintained close ties with Russia for decades, with defence and energy forming important pillars of the relationship, even as New Delhi has sought to deepen ties with the United States, Europe, and other partners.
