Narendra Modi (L) and Vladimir Putin. (File photo)
New Delhi: The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, telephoned the prime minister, Narendra Modi, on Monday, to brief him on his recent summit with the US president, Donald Trump. This comes as India grapples with mounting American trade pressure over its energy ties with Moscow.
The call marked the second conversation between the two leaders in 10 days and underscored Russia’s emphasis on maintaining strong relations with key partners amid western isolation efforts following its invasion of Ukraine.
Putin provided Modi with details of his August 15 meeting with Trump in Alaska – the first face-to-face encounter between Russian and American heads of state since February 2022. The three-hour summit failed to produce a breakthrough on ending the Ukraine conflict, with Trump acknowledging they “haven’t quite got there, but we’ve made some headway.”
Modi reiterated India’s consistent position calling for peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis through diplomacy and dialogue, according to the ministry of external affairs. The Indian leader thanked Putin for sharing insights from the Alaska discussions and emphasized New Delhi’s support for all efforts toward a long-term resolution.
Critical timing
The conversation comes as India faces its most severe challenge in US relations in years. Washington has imposed escalating tariffs on Indian goods, beginning with 25% on August 7 and adding another 25% penalty specifically targeting India’s Russian oil imports, bringing total tariffs to 50%.
Trump claimed these measures forced Russia to “lose an oil client”, though New Delhi has not confirmed any halt in Russian oil purchases. India became Russia’s second-largest oil customer after China following the Ukraine invasion, with Russian crude comprising over 40% of India’s total oil imports.
The bilateral trade relationship between India and Russia reached $68.7 billion in the 2024-25 financial year, with both countries targeting $100 billion by 2030. Russia remains India’s largest defence supplier, accounting for 36% of arms imports between 2020-2024, though this represents a decline as India diversifies its partnerships.
Diplomatic coordination
Putin’s outreach to Modi formed part of broader diplomatic coordination following the Alaska summit. The Russian leader also spoke with the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, the same day and held earlier conversations with leaders from Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
This pattern reflects Russia’s strategy of strengthening ties with BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organization member nations while managing western sanctions and diplomatic isolation attempts.
The leaders agreed to remain in close contact and continue enhancing their “special and privileged strategic partnership”, which encompasses defence, energy, space exploration, trade and technology cooperation.
Putin also expressed condolences over recent deadly floods in India’s northern regions, particularly Jammu & Kashmir, where at least 60 people died.
Balancing act continues
India’s position reflects complex strategic calculations beyond economic considerations. New Delhi views Russia as a crucial counterbalance to China’s growing influence and seeks to prevent Moscow from becoming entirely dependent on Beijing.
The ongoing India-China border dispute and military tensions in Ladakh complicate these relationships, making Russia’s role as a potential mediator valuable for Indian interests.
The external affairs minister, S Jaishankar, is scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow on August 21 for the 26th session of the Intergovernmental Russian-Indian Commission.
Modi is also expected to attend the SCO summit in Tianjin, China, from August 31 to September 1, where he and Putin are likely to meet bilaterally. If Modi makes the trip, it will mark the PM’s first visit to China since 2018.
The personal dimension of the Modi-Putin relationship remains significant, with the Indian leader referring to Putin as “my friend” in social media posts. The two have met 17 times since 2014, developing a rapport that has proven crucial in maintaining bilateral ties through various global crises.
