New Delhi: Economic Ties Take Center Stage As PM Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin Avoid Key Defence & Oil Topics
Modi and Putin’s recent meeting focused primarily on boosting economic cooperation, avoiding key topics like defence and Russian oil supplies. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasized India’s priority on securing energy for its population and expanding balanced bilateral trade. Defence discussions occurred separately but were not detailed publicly, highlighting a strategic diplomatic approach.
New Delhi: Economic Ties Take Center Stage As PM Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin Avoid Key Defence & Oil Topics | X @MEAIndia
New Delhi: The Modi-Putin meeting was significant in what was not mentioned. In their respective speeches, after which they took no questions, the two leaders did not mention the key areas of defence, and whether Russian oil, which currently makes up 34% of India’s total oil imports, would continue to be imported to India.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri made the nature of the visit clear when he stated that “economic cooperation is the driving impulse and the most important focus of this particular visit.” He stated that post the talks, “both leaders took part in the India-Russia trade forum held in Bharat Mandapam just a short while ago with the presence of key stakeholders of the business community both from India and Russia.”
Misri also said that the focus of the forum “was on the shared ambition of both leaders to expand the economic dimension of our bilateral partnership by increasing our bilateral trade in a balanced and sustainable manner.”
He added that India’s endeavor was to redress the trade balance that was currently skewed in favour of Russia. It was more than a mere coincidence that MEA also did not elaborate on two issues—oil and defence. Asked about the recent sanctions imposed by the US on two Russian state-oil firms and whether Russia would continue its oil supplies to India, Misri said. “We have been fairly clear in our position that as a significant importer of energy, our priority is to ensure that 1.4 billion people in India have their energy needs secured. Our energy sourcing policy is guided entirely by this imperative.”
Asked whether India had sought the expeditious delivery of the S-400 defence systems and whether New Delhi had discussed the buying of Russia’s Sukhoi Su-57 advanced fighter jets, Misri said. “Yesterday evening there was a meeting between the country's defence ministers under the framework of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation. I don’t have the details or readout of that meeting, but I imagine those issues that you referred to were discussed there.”
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