New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged Russian President Vladimir Putin that efforts must be made to move away from endless war towards an end to the war while noting that Indians are eagerly awaiting the Russian leader's visit for the BRICS summit.The two leaders, during their meeting on the margins of the SCO summit in Bishkek, discussed the full range of the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership and took a car ride together in the Kyrgyz capital for a one-on-one dialogue.133662022Modi shared a photograph from inside the vehicle, captioning it, On the way to the World Nomad Games with President Putin . The two leaders engaged in car diplomacy twice last year, first in China during the SCO summit and then here during the annual summit.Modi and Putin discussed the current state of the Ukraine war and efforts to end the conflict, which has also impacted geoeconomics. In his opening remarks during the meeting, Modi said, We must move away from endless war towards an end to the war. This is essential for the well-being of humanity. The leaders exchanged views on India-Russia engagement in the multilateral arena, in particular in BRICS under India’s Chairship for 2026. They also shared perspectives on key regional and global issues of mutual interest, including the conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region which have impacted maritime trade and the safety and security of Indian seafarers. Had extensive discussions with President Putin. Discussed the full range of the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. It is gladdening to see significant progress across various sectors in recent years. Focus areas for the India-Russia friendship remain energy, innovation, space, fertilisers and people-to-people linkages, Modi said in a post on X following the meeting.The two leaders welcomed the outcome of the 27th India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic and Cultural matters, which was held recently in Moscow. Trade and Investment partnership including joint projects across diverse areas. Modi and Putin are likely to visit Innoprom.India – jointly organized India-Russia industrial exposition on September 11 ahead of the BRICS Summit.The two leaders agreed to remain engaged to further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries, which continues to register significant growth and has shown resilience in the backdrop of geopolitical uncertainties, an official said following the meeting. Modi is expected to travel to Russia later in the year for the next edition of the annual Summit.“India is among the top countries in terms of the number of students studying in Russia. In recent years, this figure has grown sevenfold and now amounts to 40,000 students. We regularly hold cultural festivals of India and Russia. We also have active mutual tourist flows, which have seen 16 per cent growth. We closely coordinate our efforts at the United Nations, BRICS, the G20, and the SCO. Today, we have a good chance to compare our notes and outline future cooperation when it comes to the development of Russian-Indian relations,” the Russian President said in his remarks.
