The Prime Minister of India wants to strengthen the “special relationship” with Russia. Modi talked to Putin

The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi talked on Friday by phone with Vladimir Putin and emphasized the will to strengthen Delhi's “special relationship” with Moscow, and also assured that he was expecting a visit to the Russian leader in India.

According to the prime minister's entry on platform X, Modi had a “good and detailed” conversation with “his friend” Putin. The Indian prime minister also wrote that he thanked the Russian leader for sharing the latest information about Ukraine with him.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Delhi announced in a statement that Modi invited Putin to the “23rd Indian-Russian peak”, and both leaders emphasized the will of “further deepening of the special and privileged strategic partnership of India and Russia.”

The Kremlin reported shortly after that Putin and Modi talked about trade and economic and investment cooperation, and also discussed the recent visit of the special envoy of the White House Steve Witkoff in Moscow.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump introduced an additional 25 % duty to the import of goods from India, because this country buys Russian oil. Together with other tariffs imposed earlier by Trump to India announced on Wednesday, new duties will make some Indian products to survive at 50 percent.

The Indian department of diplomacy stated the same day that these tariffs are “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.” The ministry emphasized that India will take all necessary steps to defend the interests of the state.

Reuters reported on Friday that after Trump's decision, India withdrew from the planned purchases of American weapons and Boeing planes, and the Indian defense minister Rajnath Singh canceled a visit to Washington.

In July 2024, Modi made a two-day visit to Moscow, and his conversations with Putin concerned cooperation with Russia in nuclear energy and solving the problem of Rubel-Roupia monetary messages.

India, which are the ally of Russia and one of the most important buyers of Russian weapons, have never officially condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (PAP)

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