Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin met Monday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, underscoring the growing strategic alignment between New Delhi and Moscow amid heightened tensions with Washington over India’s continued purchase of Russian oil.
The two leaders held bilateral talks following a key SCO session that focused on regional security, trade, and energy cooperation. Opening the meeting, Modi described India’s relationship with Russia as “special and privileged,” while Putin referred to Modi as a “dear friend,” highlighting the deep-rooted trust and historical bond between the two countries.
“Russia and India have maintained special relations for decades—friendly, trusting. This is the foundation for future cooperation,” Putin said. “These ties are non-partisan and enjoy broad public support in both nations.”
According to Russian foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, Putin is expected to visit India in December for the 23rd annual India-Russia summit.
During the SCO gathering, Modi also expressed support for peace efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, calling on all parties to seek a constructive path forward. “To end the conflict and establish lasting peace, we must find a way. This is a collective call from humanity,” Modi stated.
The Modi-Putin meeting comes at a sensitive geopolitical moment. Just days earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump announced an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports, raising total duties to 50% in response to India’s continued purchases of discounted Russian oil—a move that Washington argues helps sustain Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine. India has defended the imports, citing the need to secure affordable energy for its 1.4 billion citizens.
In a display of close rapport, Modi and Putin reportedly held a private conversation for nearly an hour inside Putin’s Aurus limousine, a luxury Russian-made vehicle the president frequently uses on foreign trips. Putin was accompanied by a high-level delegation of Russian officials during the official talks.
India’s engagement with Russia has intensified in recent years, particularly since Western nations began boycotting Russian energy exports following the Ukraine invasion. Russia now supplies nearly 37% of India’s crude oil imports—up from a fraction before the war—overtaking traditional suppliers in the Middle East.
In 2024–25, bilateral trade between the two countries reached a record $68.7 billion, driven largely by energy cooperation. India imported approximately $64 billion worth of goods from Russia, while its exports totaled around $5 billion, according to Indian government figures.
Modi has traveled to Russia twice in the past year: first in July for direct talks with Putin in Moscow—his first visit since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine—and later in October for the BRICS summit in Kazan.
As geopolitical realignments continue to unfold, the Modi-Putin meeting in Tianjin signals a deepening partnership between India and Russia, even as Western pressure mounts over New Delhi’s strategic choices.
