Modi and Putin review political, economic, and defense cooperation amid geopolitical tensions

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that dialogue and diplomacy are the best way to resolve conflicts, affirming his country’s readiness to contribute to global peace efforts. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated in a press release that this came during a meeting between Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the BRICS summit hosted by India on Saturday, where they discussed bilateral, regional, and global issues of mutual interest. The ministry added that the officials reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation in the fields of politics, economy, defense, energy, space, and the mobility of skills and expertise, renewing their commitment to continue working to strengthen their special strategic partnership amid geopolitical tensions. Russian President Vladimir Putin had arrived in India on Friday for an official visit to participate in the 18th BRICS summit, themed “Building Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability,” which will be attended by leaders and officials from Brazil, Russia, India, China, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and South Africa.