Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the conflict in Ukraine soon, saying “today’s era is not of war” even as he called for finding ways to address the global food and energy security crisis.
In a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in this Silk Road city, Modi also underlined the importance of “democracy, dialogue and diplomacy” while calling for an early cessation of hostilities in Ukraine.
In the first in-person meeting between the two leaders after the Ukraine conflict began in February, Putin told Modi that he was aware of India’s concerns over the Ukraine conflict and that Russia will do everything possible to end it as soon as possible.
The Russian President said Ukraine has refused to engage in the negotiation process and it wants to achieve its “objectives on the battlefield militarily.”
The MEA said the two leaders appreciated the sustained momentum in bilateral ties, including contacts at various levels, adding they discussed important issues of bilateral cooperation as well as regional and global issues of interest.
“The discussions also pertained to global food security, energy security and availability of fertilisers in the context of the challenges emanating from the current geo-political situation,” it said.
In his opening remarks, President Putin said the ties between India and Russia continued to develop “very rapidly” and both sides are actively engaged at international platforms on key issues. “It is important that we constantly coordinate our positions,” he said.
Putin also referred to increase in bilateral trade turnover. He said that this deliveries of fertilizers from Russia and India had increased by over eight times.
The prime minister said “unbreakable friendship” between India and Russia have strengthened manifold and New Delhi values its relationship with Moscow.
In the last few months, crude oil imports from Russia have jumped over 50 times since April and now it makes up for 10 per cent of all crude bought from overseas India notwithstanding increasing disquiet over it by several Western powers.
Last month, Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov said Russia appreciates India for not supporting attempts to isolate it in multilateral forums and that bilateral trade between the two countries is on an upswing.
India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and it has been maintaining that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.
PM Modi later described the talks as “wonderful”.
