Key Points Of Putin’s India Visit: $100 Billion Trade Target, Nuclear Energy, BRICS Support – What Russia Promised | World News
After intense talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, both leaders addressed the media and highlighted the important results of the two-day visit. Here are the highlights from Putin’s statements:
Defense Partnership Reaffirmed
Expressing his satisfaction with the results of the negotiations, Putin said, “Our country has been helping to arm and modernize the Indian Army, including the Air Defense Forces, aviation and Navy, for the last half century.” he said.
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He expressed confidence that the agreements reached during the visit “will further deepen the Russia-India strategic partnership for the benefit of our countries and peoples.”
BRICS Leadership Support
Putin emphasized Russia’s determination to support India’s BRICS presidency in 2025. “As state founders of BRICS, Russia and India have done a lot to increase the authority of the organization and continue to do more,” he said, promising “any necessary assistance to our Indian friends.”
Independent Foreign Policy
Russian President Putin emphasized that both countries defend the principles enshrined in UN laws and pursue “an independent and self-sufficient foreign policy with like-minded countries such as BRICS, SCO and other countries in the global majority.”
Infrastructure Connection
Putin announced that progress has been made in the North-South Transport Corridor and said, “We are working with our Indian partners to build new international transport routes, including the project extending from Russia or Belarus to the shores of the Indian Ocean.”
Nuclear Energy Expansion
Referring to the Kudankulam nuclear project, Putin said: “We are trying to build India’s largest nuclear power plant. Three of the six reactors are already connected to the energy network.”
Trade Target: 100 Billion Dollars
Putin announced impressive trade figures: “Last year, our bilateral trade turnover increased by 12 percent, reaching 64 billion dollars. We estimate that this year’s results will remain at the same impressive level.”
Putin added assertively: “We are ready for the task of increasing this figure to 100 billion dollars.”
The Russian leader stated that the free trade area between India and the Eurasian Economic Union will help achieve this goal and that work on the agreement is already ongoing.
National Currency Payments
Significantly moving away from dependence on the dollar, Putin said: “Our countries are gradually moving towards the use of national currencies in payments. This share is currently 96 percent in commercial payments.”
Energy Security Guarantee
Addressing India’s energy needs, Putin promised, “We are ready to continue uninterrupted fuel shipments for the growing Indian economy.”
Thanks from Prime Minister Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reciprocated the warmth and said: “Fifteen years ago, in 2010, our partnership was given the status of Specially Privileged Strategic Partnership. For the last twenty-five years, he (President Putin) has nurtured this relationship with his leadership and vision.”
Prime Minister Modi also expressed “my heartfelt gratitude to my friend President Putin for this deep friendship and unwavering commitment to India.”
Putin’s gratitude
The Russian President concluded his speech by thanking President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Modi and their Indian counterparts “for the warm and hospitable welcome shown to the Russian delegation”, specifically mentioning “the dinner held at Prime Minister Modi’s house yesterday”.
The visit represents Putin’s first trip to India since the start of the Ukraine conflict and points to the enduring strength of the Russia-India strategic partnership despite Western pressure on New Delhi to distance itself from Moscow.
