NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet on Friday ahead of the BRICS Summit, their second bilateral meeting in weeks, with the talks set to give fresh momentum to the India-Russia partnership across energy, defence, trade and strategic cooperation.
The meeting comes amid record levels of Russian energy supplies to India, discussions on expanding defence cooperation and efforts to address long-standing payment issues in bilateral trade. Putin will attend the BRICS Summit on September 12-13.
Ahead of the visit, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said India-Russia energy cooperation was continuing to reach new highs. “Every month we have a new record,” Peskov said, while declining to disclose figures.
Defence cooperation is also expected to feature prominently, with Russia signalling its readiness to discuss the supply and possible technology transfer of advanced platforms, including the Su-57 fighter and S-500 air defence system.
“We have very good military equipment and are willing to offer it to the Indian side,” Peskov said. He indicated that Moscow was prepared to discuss India’s demand for technology transfer in connection with the Su-57.
Peskov also suggested that the two countries could deepen joint defence production, citing the BrahMos programme as a model.
“We are jointly producing the BrahMos missiles, and it is time to think about improving those missiles, adding some additional characteristics, making them more competitive in the market and more effective,” he said.
The discussions come against the backdrop of continuing geopolitical pressure on India over its purchases of Russian crude. Peskov described proposed US measures targeting countries importing Russian energy as “illegal, unfair and unacceptable”, signalling Moscow’s determination to preserve one of the most important pillars of its economic relationship with New Delhi.
The two sides are also working to resolve accumulated rupee balances arising from bilateral trade while exploring closer cooperation in rare-earth exploration, an area of growing strategic significance for both countries.
Peskov also said Moscow broadly shares India’s position that the conflict must be resolved peacefully.
“We do want the solution of the Ukrainian conflict by peaceful means,” he said.
The meeting follows External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent visits to Ukraine and Russia, where India reiterated its willingness to contribute to efforts aimed at ending the conflict. Modi had told Putin at their previous meeting in Bishkek that “we must move from endless war towards the end of war”.
The leaders are also expected to discuss security, counterterrorism, drugs and space cooperation. India has separately raised the issue of its nationals serving in the Russian military. Peskov said a list was being compiled and those identified would be sent home.
On BRICS, Peskov rejected the characterisation of the grouping as anti-Western, saying it was based on mutual trust, respect and benefit. He also defended the increasing use of national currencies in trade, saying Russia was not pursuing a formal de-dollarisation policy but was acting in its national interest.
“We’re simply doing what better corresponds with our national interests,” he said.
