Putin praised Modi’s independent stance, promised to balance India trade, and warned Trump’s tariffs could hurt the US.
At the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with unusual candour about India, trade, and global politics. Before an audience of experts from 140 countries, including India, he described ties between New Delhi and Moscow as “special” and reminded everyone that in decades of friendship, the two countries have never once faced interstate tensions.
“We have never had any problems with India. Never,” Putin said firmly, recalling the Soviet Union’s role in supporting India’s independence and the trust that continues to define the partnership today.
The Russian leader went a step further, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “balanced, wise and nationally orientated” leader, one he regards with both trust and respect. He noted that India’s decision to continue buying Russian crude despite American pressure reflected Modi’s independent, nationally driven approach.
But Putin did not shy away from acknowledging the elephant in the room: India’s massive crude imports have tilted the trade equation heavily in Russia’s favour. To restore balance, he suggested Moscow could import more Indian goods, especially agricultural products and medicines. He also welcomed ideas for deeper collaboration, from building a joint fund for artificial intelligence to expanding work in advanced technologies.
The moment wasn’t just about economics. It was also political. Putin openly criticised Washington’s attempts to push India and China away from Russian energy. He warned that Donald Trump’s proposed punitive tariffs could backfire badly by pushing up global prices, forcing the U.S. Federal Reserve to keep interest rates high, and slowing down America’s own economy. “India and China will not allow themselves to be humiliated,” he stressed.
As the Russia-India “special and privileged strategic partnership” nears its 15th anniversary, Putin underlined that both governments stay closely aligned on key global issues. Foreign ministries, he said, “work very closely together.”
The anticipation now turns to December 5–6, when Putin will arrive in India for the annual summit with Prime Minister Modi, his first visit since the Russia-Ukraine war began in 2022. Both leaders are expected to chart new ways to deepen the partnership, including fresh opportunities for Indian exporters hit by U.S. tariffs.
The message from Sochi was clear: while global politics grow more confrontational, Russia sees India not as a junior partner but as an equal friend, one whose voice and choices it deeply respects.
Source: BS
