PM Modi talks to Putin, reiterates partnership as Trump tariffs loom

Modi and Putin reaffirm defence and trade cooperation; talks follow Ajit Doval's Moscow visit and rising global trade tensions involving the US, India, and Brazil

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday reaffirmed India's commitment to deepening its strategic relationship with Russia, following a telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

 

Both leaders discussed developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and India-Russia bilateral ties, Modi said in a post on X.

 

“We also reviewed the progress in our bilateral agenda and reaffirmed our commitment to further deepen the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. I look forward to hosting President Putin in India later this year,” PM Modi said.

 

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) later said Modi invited President Putin to India this year for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.

 

Putin, Doval meet in Moscow, reiterate cooperation

 

The call came a day after National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met President Putin in Moscow. Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu and other senior officials were also present.

 

Following the meeting, both sides reiterated their commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership and enhancing cooperation “to form a new, more just and sustainable world order”.

 

“We have now established very good relations, which we value very much — a strategic partnership between our countries,” Doval said after the meeting.

 

Shoigu added that Russia and India were committed to upholding the supremacy of international law and working together to address contemporary challenges and threats.

 

Trump’s ‘dead economies’ jibe

 

US President Donald Trump has criticised the India-Russia relationship, particularly India’s purchase of Russian military equipment and crude oil. On July 30, he posted: “I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care!”

 

Later that day, he imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods headed to the US. Hours later, an additional 25 per cent penalty was announced over India’s Russian oil imports, taking the total tariff rate to 50 per cent — the highest of any country except Brazil, which faces the same rate.

 

Brazil’s Lula opens a third front

 

On Thursday, Modi also spoke to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Both leaders agreed to strengthen collaboration in areas including trade, technology, energy, defence, agriculture, health, and cultural exchanges.

 

PM Modi wrote on X: “Had a good conversation with President Lula. Thanked him for making my visit to Brazil memorable and meaningful. We are committed to deepening our Strategic Partnership, including in trade, energy, tech, defence, health and more. A strong, people-centric partnership between Global South nations benefits everyone.”

 

The talks come amid rising global trade tensions, with Trump imposing a 50 per cent tariff on both India and Brazil. Lula has rejected Trump’s offer to discuss the tariffs, saying: “I will call Xi Jinping, I will call Prime Minister Modi. I won’t call Putin, because he can’t travel now. But I will call many Presidents.” 

Visit to China

 

PM Modi is also scheduled to visit China later this month for the Tianjin summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). During the summit, he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss Indo-China ties. Notably, both China and India are among the largest importers of Russian oil.

 

All these countries—India, China, Russia, and Brazil—are also members of the BRICS organisation, which President Trump has previously described as “anti-American", accusing it of trying to undermine the dollar’s role as the world’s key currency.