Putin holds phone talks with Indian PM Modi – Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation on Friday on the initiative of the Indian side, according to the Kremlin.  

Referring to the June 24 attempted uprising by the private military company Wagner, Modi expressed understanding and support for the “decisive actions of the Russian leadership” in protecting law and order and ensuring stability in the country, and the safety of its citizens, the statement published on the Kremlin website read.   

The leaders addressed the situation around Ukraine, with Putin emphasizing Kiev’s refusal to take political and diplomatic steps to settle the conflict. 

“While discussing the situation in Ukraine, PM reiterated his call for dialogue and diplomacy,” the Indian Ministry of External Affairs noted in a statement.   

Putin and Modi also discussed bilateral cooperation and stressed the importance of further implementing major joint projects in a range of fields. The leaders also lauded the significant growth in bilateral trade.  

From April 2022 through February 2023, bilateral trade reached a record $45 billion, well beyond the target of $30 billion by 2025 set by both leaders several years back. Russia has moved from 25th to 7th place among Indian trading partners, after the US, China, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Indonesia. 

While the leaders reaffirmed their mutual commitment to strengthening the special privileged strategic partnership, special attention was given to interactions within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the Group of Twenty (G20), where India currently holds the chairmanship, as well as within the BRICS format, the official statement noted. Modi briefed Putin about his recent international contacts, including during his visit to Washington.

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