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India is “on the side of peace” in the Ukraine crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday during talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the two leaders co-chaired the 23rd annual India-Russia summit in New Delhi.
Putin and Modi held brief bilateral talks open to the media after Indian President Droupadi Murmu welcomed the Russian leader with a ceremonial guard of honor.
“I am fully confident that with the efforts being made in recent days, the world will once again return to the direction of peace,” Modi said.
He told Putin that India has regularly discussed the Ukraine crisis with Russia and global leaders.
“I always told them India is not neutral. India is on the side of peace,” he said. “We are shoulder to shoulder with all efforts of peace.”
At a joint news conference later, Modi said India has “advocated for peace” from the start of the war and “welcomes all efforts” toward a lasting resolution.
He added that India “has always been ready to contribute its part.”
Putin arrived in New Delhi late Thursday for a two-day state visit, his first since 2021 and since the start of the Moscow-Kyiv war.
Modi praised relations with Moscow, expressing confidence that the partnership “will give us the strength to face global challenges.”
He also condemned terrorism, recalling attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in April and the Crocus City Hall attack in Moscow last year.
Following the summit, the two sides signed agreements and memoranda in areas including migration, mobility, healthcare, medical education, science, food safety and the port and shipping sector.
Modi said both sides agreed to adopt a 2030 economic cooperation program to diversify and sustain bilateral ties.
New Delhi and Moscow are also taking steps for India’s potential free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union.
Bilateral trade, currently around $65 billion, is targeted to reach $100 billion.
Before the summit, Putin said he “informed in detail” Modi about the state of affairs in the Ukrainian settlement, including recent contacts with US representatives.
He praised the depth of Russian-Indian ties, noting cooperation in aviation, space, high technologies, artificial intelligence and defense.
“It highlights the character and level of trust,” Putin said, adding that both sides had prepared well for the talks.
The summit took place as India faces increased US pressure to halt purchases of Russian oil.
Washington has imposed a 50% tariff on Indian imports, partly in response to these purchases.
Putin and Modi will also address a business forum as both countries aim to raise current bilateral trade, now at $68.7 billion, nearly six times higher than pre-pandemic levels, to $100 billion.
The Russian president is accompanied by a large delegation of businesspeople.
Putin will attend a presidential dinner hosted by Murmu before departing late Friday.
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