New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin for briefing him on the outcome of his recent meeting with US President Donald Trump in Alaska. The call took place just hours before Trump’s scheduled discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders.
“Thank my friend, President Putin, for his phone call and for sharing insights on his recent meeting with President Trump in Alaska. India has consistently called for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict and supports all efforts in this regard. I look forward to our continued exchanges in the days to come,” Modi posted on X.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Putin shared his assessment of the Alaska meeting. Modi reiterated India’s position in favor of a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict through diplomacy and dialogue, while thanking Putin for his update. The two leaders also reviewed bilateral cooperation, reaffirming their commitment to strengthen the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.
The Kremlin confirmed the exchange, stating that Putin had briefed Modi on “the key outcomes of the Russia-US summit in Alaska.” The two leaders discussed prospects for resolving the Ukraine crisis and agreed to maintain dialogue on international issues of common interest. Putin also conveyed condolences over the recent floods in India.
Putin held similar conversations on Monday with leaders of Tajikistan, South Africa, Brazil, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Belarus, underscoring Moscow’s efforts to keep its strategic partners informed of his discussions with Trump.
The Modi-Putin phone call was their second in 10 days, against the backdrop of strained India-US relations after Washington doubled tariffs on Indian imports in response to New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil. On August 8, the two leaders had spoken about the situation in Ukraine and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral ties.
Modi and Putin are expected to meet later this month on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, from August 31 to September 1. Ahead of this, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to visit Moscow on August 21 for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, following National Security Advisor Ajit Doval’s earlier trip to Moscow to meet Putin.
India had earlier welcomed the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, commending their efforts to advance dialogue on Ukraine. Following that summit, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy also briefed Jaishankar on European discussions with Trump.
The US has imposed a 50% tariff on Indian imports, including a 25% “penalty” linked to Russian oil purchases. Washington has warned of further penalties if no agreement is reached. However, Trump has recently suggested that secondary tariffs on countries buying Russian crude, including India, may not be necessary.
“He [Putin] lost an oil client, so to speak, which is India, which was doing about 40 per cent of the oil. China, as you know, is doing a lot… And if I did what’s called a secondary sanction, or a secondary tariff, it would be very devastating from their standpoint. If I have to do it, I’ll do it. Maybe I won’t have to do it,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News before his Alaska meeting.
Separately, Modi had also spoken with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on August 11, reiterating India’s readiness to contribute to peace efforts. India has consistently advocated for an early end to the conflict through diplomacy and dialogue. (Source: IE)
