PM Modi Meets Russian President Putin at 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan

Kazan: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin today on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan. This marked their second meeting of the year, following their earlier discussions during the 22nd Annual Summit in Moscow in July 2024.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi expressed his gratitude to President Putin for inviting him to attend the BRICS Summit. He praised Russia’s leadership of the BRICS group, particularly its efforts to promote multilateralism, sustainable development, and reforms in global governance. The leaders reviewed a wide range of bilateral cooperation, including political, economic, defence, energy, and people-to-people relations.

A key highlight of the talks was the upcoming India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, and Cultural matters, scheduled to take place in November 2024 in New Delhi. Both leaders welcomed this opportunity to deepen ties across various sectors.

Prime Minister Modi and President Putin also exchanged views on India-Russia collaboration in multilateral forums, particularly BRICS, and discussed several regional and global issues of mutual concern, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Prime Minister Modi reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy remain essential for resolving conflicts peacefully.

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership” between India and Russia, which continues to grow despite global geopolitical challenges.

Prime Minister Modi extended an invitation to President Putin to visit India for the 23rd Annual Summit in 2025, furthering the momentum of the bilateral relationship.