Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Friday.

The meeting reviewed progress in bilateral ties across defence, energy, space and people-to-people domains. This was their second meeting in a fortnight, following their earlier engagement in Bishkek during the SCO Summit on 31 August.

The Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the leaders held wide-ranging discussions on the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. They reviewed cooperation in trade, energy, defence, space and people-to-people ties, which remain central to the enduring partnership between the two nations.

Both leaders also exchanged perspectives on key regional and global issues. They discussed conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region, which have disrupted maritime trade and posed risks to the safety and security of Indian seafarers.

Prime Minister Modi reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy remain the way forward in resolving conflicts, affirming India’s readiness to assist in peace efforts.

The leaders welcomed Russia’s International Industrial Exhibition “INNOPROM India”, held for the first time in India from 9–11 September. They underscored its importance in expanding trade and industrial ties. Modi and Putin visited the exhibition and interacted with participants, highlighting its role in strengthening economic cooperation.

Both sides agreed to remain engaged in efforts to further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, which continues to show resilience despite geopolitical uncertainties.

President Putin extended an invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit Russia for the 24th India-Russia Annual Summit. Modi accepted the invitation, with dates to be finalised through diplomatic channels.

During their bilateral talks, Prime Minister Modi gifted President Putin a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, the classical Tamil scripture composed by Thiruvalluvar. PM Modi explained that the Thirukkural, written two thousand years ago, encompasses the entire gamut of human life. He expressed confidence that the translation would enhance people-to-people contact and play a significant role in strengthening relations.

In a subsequent post on X, Modi wrote that he had presented Putin with the Russian translation of the Thirukkural, which carries the eternal wisdom of Thiruvalluvar across languages and borders. The Thirukkural consists of 1,330 couplets, each two lines long, and is built on universal values: aram (virtue), porul (wealth and statecraft) and inbam (love). Revered by Tamils as a sacred scripture, it is often referred to as “the Tamil Veda”.

The meeting between Modi and Putin thus reinforced the strategic depth of India-Russia relations, combining defence and energy cooperation with cultural and people-to-people exchanges. It also highlighted India’s consistent emphasis on diplomacy and dialogue in addressing global conflicts, while showcasing the enduring resilience of the bilateral partnership.

ANI