PM Modi and Putin Strengthen India-Russia Partnership: Joint Commitment Against Terrorism and Enhanced Bilateral Cooperation

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin affirmed on Friday that India and Russia "stand shoulder-to-shoulder and walk together in the fight against terrorism." This declaration came during Putin's first State visit to India in four years, where Modi warmly referred to the Russian leader as "my dear friend."

During their joint statement, Modi emphasized the shared threat of terrorism, stating, "Whether it is the terrorist attack in Pahalgam or the cowardly assault on the Crocus City Hall... the root of all these incidents is the same." He referenced the Jaish-e-Mohammed attack in April that killed 26 people in Pahalgam and the Islamic State-Khorasan attack on Moscow's Crocus City Hall in March 2024 that resulted in 149 fatalities.

"India's unwavering belief is that any terrorist attack is a direct assault on the values of humanity... and that global unity against it is our greatest strength," the Prime Minister firmly declared.

Moscow has consistently supported India's counter-terrorism efforts, expressing solidarity after the Pahalgam attack and backing India's Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist bases in Pakistan and parts of Kashmir illegally occupied by Pakistan.

"Over the past eight decades, the world has witnessed ups and downs," Modi noted. "Humanity has had to pass through many challenges and crises. Amidst all this, the India-Russia friendship has remained steadfast... These relations, rooted in mutual respect and trust, have stood the test of time."

The Modi-Putin statement delivered from Delhi's Hyderabad House also covered trade and economic cooperation, including a memorandum of understanding for the shipping sector.

A significant highlight was Putin's reaffirmation of Russia's commitment to continue "uninterrupted shipments" of fuel to India, despite pressure from the United States for India to cease purchasing Russian oil.

Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude for Putin's "commitment to India," stating that "energy security has been a strong and important pillar of the India-Russia partnership." Carefully navigating relations with both Russia and the US, Modi avoided specific references to oil, focusing instead on nuclear and clean energy cooperation.

"Our decades-old cooperation in the field of civil nuclear energy has been crucial in giving meaning to our shared priorities for clean energy. We will continue this win-win cooperation," he added.

The leaders discussed economic collaboration as officials from both nations exchanged agreements covering jobs, health, shipping, and chemicals. Putin announced, "We are looking at increasing annual bilateral trade to USD 100 billion."

In a statement likely to attract attention from Western nations, particularly amid speculation about the BRICS bloc potentially creating an alternative to the US dollar, Putin noted, "India, Russia are moving towards use of national currencies for bilateral payments."

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has persisted since February 2022 despite US President Donald Trump's interventions, was also addressed during the talks.

Putin thanked Modi for his efforts to resolve the conflict and mentioned having a "very informative and useful conversation" following his arrival in Delhi on Thursday evening. The Russian President shared details of a plan for peaceful resolution with the Prime Minister, who reaffirmed India's position as a "champion of peace."

Modi also highlighted India-Russia cooperation in the energy sector, expressing commitment to continue this collaboration while expanding into areas such as critical minerals.

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