Modi, Putin hold talks in New Delhi on trade, defence
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Aug 31, 2026. (Photo: Sputnik/Pyotr Kovalyov/Pool)
Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin began talks in New Delhi on Friday (Sep 11), their second meeting in two weeks, that is expected to focus on trade, energy and defence ties between the two countries, which have long been friends.
The talks are being held on the eve of the annual summit of BRICS leaders in the Indian capital, which will see the participation of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, among others.
Modi and Putin are expected to discuss cooperation between the two countries in civil nuclear energy, fertilisers, defence, critical minerals, manufacturing, railways, and steel, an Indian source said.
The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Aug 31, where Modi told Putin that the war in Ukraine needed to end for humanity’s sake and that New Delhi would support every peace effort to stop the fighting.
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
India, along with China, is one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil, which is seen as helping Moscow replenish its budget since it sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in 2022 and was hit with sweeping Western sanctions.
India has, however, sought to resist the pressure, saying its large population and economy need secure, affordable and reliable energy supplies. New Delhi has also said that the Ukraine conflict can be resolved only through dialogue and diplomacy and not by some countries stopping energy, metal or fertiliser trade with Russia.
Russia’s share of Indian crude imports rose in 2026, reaching a record 51 per cent in July, as disruptions to Middle Eastern supplies increased Indian refiners’ reliance on Russian oil. That share likely moderated in August as China stepped up Russian oil purchases, Indian media reported.
Putin visited India in December 2025 as well for the annual India-Russia summit and the two countries agreed to expand their trade and defence relationship.
Source: Reuters/ec
Sign up for our newsletters
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
