Amid mounting U.S. pressure over oil imports from Russia, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a wide-ranging meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in China. Modi emerged as the center of attention at the summit held in Tianjin, signaling a bold diplomatic stance by India.
The meeting between the two leaders, which reportedly irked U.S. President Donald Trump, followed the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit held on Monday. After attending the summit, Modi and Putin sent a strong message to Washington by traveling together in the same vehicle to the meeting venue. Sharing a picture of the journey on social media platform X, Modi wrote that his conversations with Putin are always insightful.
Before the bilateral meeting, Modi, Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shared pictures of themselves standing together and exchanging pleasantries at the summit venue, underscoring their camaraderie.
The timing of the meeting is significant, coming as India faces U.S. trade measures, including a 25 percent duty and a 25 percent penalty duty over oil imports from Russia. Despite these punitive actions, India remains firm on its stance. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the leaders expressed satisfaction over ongoing energy cooperation and reaffirmed their decision to continue importing Russian oil.
India’s position sends a clear response to Washington’s threats to halt oil imports from Russia. The Modi-Putin meeting, which lasted about an hour, reaffirmed the strategic depth of India-Russia ties. Both leaders declared that the two nations would stand shoulder to shoulder during challenging times to safeguard their interests and promote global peace and stability.
The Ukraine-Russia conflict was also on the agenda. Modi reiterated his call for dialogue and peaceful resolution, emphasizing that India-Russia relations are rooted in history and mutual trust. He also extended an invitation for Putin’s upcoming visit to India, which the Russian President confirmed would take place in December.
Putin, who warmly greeted Modi as a “dear friend,” praised India’s efforts to bring an end to the Ukraine conflict. He described Modi as a close ally, highlighting the enduring strength of the bilateral partnership.
Had an excellent meeting with President Putin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin. Discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in all sectors, including trade, fertilisers, space, security and culture. We exchanged views on regional and global developments, including… pic.twitter.com/DhTyqOysbf
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 1, 2025
Meanwhile, a video from the summit has gone viral, showing Modi and Putin appearing to ignore Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The footage captures the two leaders walking ahead of Sharif during a formal gathering. In one image, Sharif can be seen observing from a distance as Modi and Putin converse. Later, in a photo posted by Modi on X, Sharif is visible standing far from Modi in the official lineup of heads of state.
Modi also held separate talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit. This is the first major interaction between Modi and Putin since the United States imposed the 50 percent tariff on India over Russian oil imports. The U.S. has accused India of indirectly financing Russia’s war effort through these purchases, a charge New Delhi firmly rejects.
Strengthening India-China-Russia cooperation assumes critical importance in the current geopolitical environment. Trump’s trade adviser, Peter Navarro, escalated tensions by accusing India of “funding the war” through its energy trade with Moscow. Navarro went so far as to sarcastically label the Ukraine conflict as “Modi’s war,” further straining relations between Washington and New Delhi.
Despite such rhetoric, the meeting in Tianjin underscores India’s determination to pursue an independent foreign policy, prioritizing energy security and strategic partnerships over external pressure.
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