Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for an immediate end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, urging Moscow to move from “endless war” towards “the end of the war”.
Modi reportedly said India supports all efforts aimed at achieving peace and stressed that dialogue and diplomacy remain the way forward for resolving conflicts. “Every day of war sets the humanity back,” he said in his opening remarks, adding that a peaceful resolution of conflicts at the earliest is a shared priority for humanity.
The meeting on Monday was the first between Modi and Putin this year. The two leaders had last met in New Delhi during the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit in December 2025.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the leaders reviewed the progress of bilateral cooperation across a wide range of sectors, including politics, trade and investment, defence, energy, space, mobility and people-to-people ties.
Modi and Putin also welcomed the outcomes of the 27th India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic and Cultural matters, which was held in Moscow on August 24, 2026.
The two leaders also exchanged views on India-Russia cooperation in multilateral forums, particularly BRICS, which India is chairing in 2026. They discussed regional and global developments, including the conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region.
The Prime Minister reportedly noted that the conflicts have affected maritime trade as well as the safety and security of Indian seafarers. He reiterated India’s position that dialogue and diplomacy are essential for resolving conflicts.
Modi also referred to Putin’s visit to India last year, describing it as successful and memorable. He said bilateral cooperation had continued to expand and emphasised that placing national interests at the centre of their respective approaches would remain a guiding principle for the future.
Putin, for his part, said Russia-India relations had witnessed an upswing based on the two countries’ “special and privileged” strategic partnership.
The leaders agreed to remain engaged to further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia, which the PMO said has remained resilient despite geopolitical uncertainties.
The meeting comes just over a week before Putin is scheduled to travel to India for the 18th BRICS Summit, which will be held in New Delhi on September 12-13. Modi said he looked forward to welcoming the Russian president to India for the summit.
The latest meeting underscores the continuing importance of the India-Russia relationship even as the Ukraine conflict remains unresolved and geopolitical tensions continue to affect global trade and security.
