Putin Praises Modi’s Role in Ukraine Peace Efforts, Says India-Russia Ties Built on Deep Trust and Strategic Vision

New Delhi, Dec 2025 : Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday publicly acknowledged and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his consistent efforts toward finding a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Ukraine conflict, asserting that he had a “very informative and useful” discussion with the Indian leader after arriving in New Delhi on Thursday evening.

Delivering his opening remarks ahead of the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit at Hyderabad House, with Prime Minister Modi seated beside him, President Putin expressed appreciation for the detailed exchange of views on the evolving situation in Ukraine and broader international efforts aimed at de-escalation.

“Thank you very much for the invitation and for yesterday’s very good evening, with our friendly yet at the same time informative and very useful conversation. I was given the opportunity to speak in detail about what is happening in the Ukrainian sphere and what we are doing together with several other partners, including the United States, to arrive at a possible peaceful resolution to this crisis,” Putin said.

He added pointedly, “Thank you for your attention, and thank you for your efforts to resolve this situation,” underlining India’s growing diplomatic role on the global stage.

Putin used the platform to emphasise the exceptional depth of India-Russia relations, noting that the partnership transcends formal descriptions. “No matter how we describe our relations, no matter what epithets we use, what matters is the real substance behind them. And that substance is very profound,” he said. He also lauded Prime Minister Modi’s personal involvement in nurturing bilateral ties, stating that the Indian leader devotes “a great deal of personal attention” to strengthening the partnership.

Highlighting the progress made over the years, the Russian President said that cooperation between the two nations has steadily expanded in line with the growth of both economies. He identified high-technology sectors as key drivers of future engagement, including aviation, space exploration, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.

“We are developing new areas related to high technology, to joint work in aviation, space, artificial intelligence and high technology in the broad sense. We also enjoy very trusting relations in the domain of military-technical cooperation. We intend to move forward confidently in all these areas,” Putin said, adding that this trust reflects the strategic nature of bilateral ties.

As the two leaders settled in for the summit discussions, Putin noted that preparatory teams from Moscow and New Delhi had worked “very well” ahead of his visit. He revealed that several key documents were ready for discussion and possible finalisation. “A number of significant documents have been prepared. We have the opportunity to discuss them further today, and I am confident that our work will conclude with positive outcomes,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi formally welcomed President Putin at Hyderabad House, reaffirming the commitment of both countries to deepen their Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. The two sides entered comprehensive talks expected to cover defence cooperation, energy security, trade expansion, regional stability and emerging technologies.

President Putin is on the second and final day of his State Visit to India, which has been marked by high-level political engagements and strong symbolic gestures underscoring the enduring friendship between the two nations. Later in the day, Putin is scheduled to participate in a major business event at Bharat Mandapam aimed at boosting commercial ties and investment flows between Indian and Russian enterprises.

In the evening, President Droupadi Murmu will host a formal banquet in honour of President Putin at Rashtrapati Bhavan, marking the culmination of his India visit.

With geopolitical uncertainties reshaping global alignments, the Modi-Putin engagement is being closely watched by the international community. The public acknowledgement of India’s diplomatic efforts on Ukraine further underscores New Delhi’s rising profile as a trusted interlocutor in global conflict resolution, even as India and Russia continue to fortify their long-standing strategic bond.

Team Maverick.