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Putin, Modi Hold High-Stakes Summit in Delhi, Affirm Push for Ukraine Peace
On his first India visit in four years, President Putin discusses Ukraine peace, trade expansion, and defence cooperation as Modi reaffirms India’s support for peace efforts.
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by Muhammad Hashir
2025-12-05
Putin, Modi Hold High-Stakes Summit in Delhi, Affirm Push for Ukraine Peace

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi began high-level summit talks in New Delhi on Friday, marking Putin’s first visit to India in four years, aimed at strengthening trade, defence, and strategic ties amid shifting global geopolitics and Western sanctions on Moscow.

Putin received a red-carpet welcome, including a 21-gun salute at Rashtrapati Bhavan, after being personally greeted by Modi upon his arrival on Thursday. The two leaders also held a private dinner before formal discussions began.

Focus on Ukraine Conflict & India’s Peace Position

Opening the summit, Modi asserted that India is not neutral on the Ukraine war but firmly “supports every effort for peace.”
“India has a position, and that position is for peace,” Modi told Putin.

Putin thanked Modi for his engagement and said they discussed in detail the conflict and ongoing international efforts, including U.S. involvement, toward a possible settlement. He emphasized expanding cooperation in aviation, space, AI, and long-standing military-technical collaboration.

Trade, Sanctions & Strategic Balancing

The visit comes as New Delhi negotiates a trade deal with the United States to reduce punitive tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump—tariffs partly linked to India’s discounted Russian oil imports. India had sharply increased Russian crude purchases after Europe reduced its dependence, but volumes have since fallen amid U.S. pressure.

Moscow wants to rebalance bilateral trade, currently skewed by India’s energy imports, and aims to raise total trade to $100 billion by 2030. Indian companies are expected to sign a major agreement with Russia’s Uralchem group to set up a urea plant in Russia. Russian lenders Gazprombank and Alfa Bank are also seeking approval to operate in India to facilitate trade.

Defence Cooperation Remains Central

Putin’s delegation includes senior ministers and defence industry leaders. Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov told Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh that Russia is committed to supporting India’s push for self-reliance in defence production.

Putin Challenges U.S. Pressure

In an interview with India Today, Putin questioned U.S. criticism of India's Russian oil imports while the United States buys Russian nuclear fuel.
“If the U.S. has the right to buy our fuel, why shouldn’t India?” he said, adding he was open to discussing the issue with President Trump.

India’s Diplomatic Tightrope

Putin’s trip follows meetings with top U.S. envoys regarding a possible Ukraine peace arrangement—talks that ended without a breakthrough. India continues to navigate what analysts call a strategic dilemma.

“India faces a conundrum; by strengthening ties with Moscow or Washington, New Delhi risks weakening ties with the other,” wrote Michael Kugelman of the Atlantic Council in Foreign Policy this week.

Despite Western pressure, India has avoided condemning Russia, reiterating its commitment to peace through “dialogue and diplomacy.” New Delhi has argued that its ties with Moscow are being unfairly scrutinized even as the U.S. and EU continue to import billions of dollars’ worth of Russian commodities—from LNG to enriched uranium.

The summit is expected to conclude with multiple agreements, signaling the continued importance of the India-Russia strategic partnership.
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