NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday reviewed progress in India-Russia bilateral cooperation across political, economic, defence, energy, space, skill mobility and people-to-people domains on the margins of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
This was the second meeting between the two leaders this year. They had earlier met in Bishkek on the sidelines of the 26th SCO Summit on August 31, according to an official statement.
The two leaders welcomed Russia’s International Industrial Exhibition “INNOPROM India”, held for the first time in India from September 9 to 11, and underscored its importance in expanding trade and industrial ties. Modi and Putin also visited the exhibition and interacted with participants.
They exchanged views on India-Russia engagement in the multilateral sphere, particularly within BRICS under India’s chairship for 2026. They also discussed key regional and global issues of mutual interest, including the conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region, which have affected maritime trade and the safety and security of Indian seafarers.
Modi reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy were the way forward in resolving conflicts and said India stood ready to assist in peace efforts.
The two leaders agreed to remain engaged to further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia, which continues to register significant growth and has shown resilience amid geopolitical uncertainties.
Putin invited Modi to visit Russia for the 24th India-Russia Annual Summit. Modi accepted the invitation, with the dates to be decided through diplomatic channels as per mutual convenience.
Earlier, addressing the BRICS Business Forum, Modi said BRICS had grown from four countries when it began in 2006 to a family of 21 countries when BRICS members and partners were counted together.
He said BRICS countries now represented 50% of the world’s population, 40% of global GDP and more than 25% of global trade. Modi also highlighted that while global GDP had grown roughly two-and-a-half times over the years, the combined GDP of BRICS countries had grown nearly four-and-a-half times.
According to Modi, BRICS countries were also emerging as important centres for global innovation and solutions, with new possibilities taking shape from grassroots initiatives to frontier technologies.
He said the theme of India’s BRICS chairmanship was “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability” and highlighted India’s efforts to build more diversified and reliable supply chains across sectors ranging from energy to technology.
Modi said India was rapidly expanding its roads, railways, ports and airports while building new capabilities in strategic sectors such as shipbuilding, semiconductors, quantum technology, critical minerals and biotechnology.
He positioned these sectors as new opportunities for global businesses and highlighted the approach of “Make in India, Innovate with India, and Scale for the World.”
