Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday for the growth of trade between Russia and India [3].
The recovery of trade turnover follows a decline last year, signaling a strategic strengthening of bilateral economic ties despite global pressures.
Putin spoke during a meeting in Moscow at the Kremlin with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar [3]. During the discussion, the Russian leader expressed his best wishes to Modi and highlighted the importance of the current economic trajectory.
"I am pleased that trade turnover with India has increased this year after a slight dip last year," Putin said [1].
The Russian president attributed the recent economic uptick to the direct involvement of the Indian prime minister. He said that trade is growing thanks to Modi's personal attention [2].
Beyond trade figures, the meeting served as a diplomatic bridge toward future high-level engagements. Putin said he looks forward to meeting Prime Minister Modi at the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit [3].
The exchange underscores a continued effort by both nations to maintain a stable partnership. While specific trade volumes were not detailed in the meeting, the emphasis remained on the personal relationship between the two heads of state as a primary driver of growth [2].
“"Trade is growing thanks to PM Modi’s personal attention."”
The emphasis on 'personal attention' suggests that the Russia-India economic relationship is heavily dependent on top-down diplomatic will rather than purely institutional mechanisms. By highlighting the recovery of trade after a previous dip, the Kremlin is signaling to the international community that India remains a critical and reliable economic partner for Russia.
