Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephonic conversation on Monday to review the state of bilateral cooperation and discuss future initiatives. The leaders, who spoke at length, expressed satisfaction with the positive developments in the Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia. They agreed to formulate a roadmap for future initiatives, aiming to further strengthen their relationship.
Prime Minister Modi took to social media to share his thoughts on the conversation, stating, Had a good conversation with President Putin. We discussed various positive developments in our Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership and agreed to chalk out a roadmap for future initiatives. We also had a useful exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including Russia’s Presidency of the BRICS.
During their discussion, the leaders also highlighted the progress made in bilateral relations following recent high-level exchanges between the two countries. They expressed their satisfaction with the developments and emphasized their commitment to enhancing the India-Russia Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership.
The telephonic conversation between Modi and Putin comes after India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Russia in December to further strengthen bilateral ties. Various areas of cooperation were discussed, including energy, military technology, trade, and investment. The two sides also explored opportunities for collaboration in piloted space programs, rocket engines, satellite navigation systems, and military hardware.
India and Russia have a longstanding partnership, with significant cooperation in various sectors. One notable project is the Kudankulam nuclear power project in Tamil Nadu. The project involves the construction of six reactors, each with a capacity of 1,000 MW. The first two reactors were commissioned in 2014 and 2016, with work currently underway on the remaining units. The leaders’ discussion likely encompassed the progress and future prospects of this important initiative.
While Modi and Putin engaged in their conversation, India’s crude oil imports from Russia saw a significant reduction. Indian refiners have been cutting their imports of Russian crude due to a steep reduction in discounts offered by Russia. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has led to sanctions against Russia, resulting in several challenges, including the repair and overhaul of critical equipment in the Indian Air Force’s Russian-origin aircraft. India has been working on strategies to mitigate these challenges by pursuing self-reliance plans and exploring alternative procurement procedures.
India’s armed forces heavily rely on equipment and weapon systems of Russian origin, with over 60% sourced from Russia. However, in recent years, India has been actively diversifying its defense acquisitions, acquiring platforms from Western sources as well. These efforts aim to improve the overall capability and self-sufficiency of India’s armed forces.
The conversation between Modi and Putin demonstrates the commitment of both countries to strengthen their bilateral ties and explore new avenues of cooperation. With shared interests in various fields, India and Russia continue to foster their Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership. As both nations look ahead, the roadmap for future initiatives outlined by the leaders will certainly play a pivotal role in shaping their relationship moving forward.
