Putin, Modi discuss trade and defence

India hails relations despite US pressure

- 

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted Russia's President Vladimir Putin yesterday, with defence and trade ties centre stage as New Delhi faces heavy US pressure to stop buying Moscow's oil.

Mr Putin was given a red carpet welcome with honour guard and 21-gun salute in New Delhi, before a formal summit meeting with Mr Modi began. Big ticket defence sales and co-production ventures, energy purchases and wider economic engagement are on the agenda, Mr Putin's first visit to India since the Ukraine war.

Mr Putin, sitting beside Mr Modi at the start of talks, said he expected a “fruitful” day tackling a “a great number of documents’, including in areas of defence, technology, aircraft and space exploration. Both leaders will discuss the geopolitical situation in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ulzaine and global trade disruptions triggered by tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.