Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday held a telephone conversation covering the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the state of bilateral ties, and upcoming high-level engagements between the two nations. The call comes at a time of heightened geopolitical and trade tensions, particularly involving the United States.
The United States has recently escalated trade tensions with India by imposing steep 50% tariffs on select Indian exports, a move widely interpreted as retaliation for New Delhi’s continued energy and defence engagements with Moscow. Washington has expressed growing discomfort over India’s sustained imports of discounted Russian oil, despite Western sanctions on Russia following the Ukraine conflict.
According to an official statement, President Putin briefed Prime Minister Modi on the latest developments in Ukraine. Modi, while thanking the Russian leader for his detailed assessment, reiterated India’s long-standing position advocating dialogue and diplomacy to achieve a peaceful resolution.
Both leaders reviewed progress in the bilateral agenda, underscoring their commitment to deepen the “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership” that has underpinned India–Russia relations for decades.
During the conversation, Modi invited Putin to visit India later this year for the 23rd Annual Bilateral Summit. The visit, once finalised, is expected to inject fresh momentum into cooperation in trade, defence, and energy.
Trump’s Tariff Escalations
The call comes in the backdrop of a major strain in India–US trade relations. U.S. President Donald Trump recently issued an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, allegedly in retaliation for New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil.
This new levy, when combined with an earlier 25% tariff already in force, raises the total duty on Indian exports to a steep 50%, placing India among the most heavily taxed U.S. trading partners in Asia, alongside Brazil.
Despite this, Moscow has voiced solidarity with India over its right to maintain diversified energy imports, further reinforcing the strategic alignment between New Delhi and Moscow.
High-Level Engagements on the Horizon
The Modi–Putin conversation was followed by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval’s meeting with the Russian President in Moscow just a day earlier. Speaking about the potential visit, Doval said:
“We have got a special, long relationship, and we value this relationship. We have had high-level engagement, and these high-level engagements have contributed very substantially. We are very excited and delighted to learn about the visit of President Putin to India. I think the dates are almost finalised now.”
Separately, Putin has also been in discussions with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and U.S. envoys regarding Washington’s proposals for Russia–Ukraine peace talks, suggesting that diplomatic activity around the conflict may be intensifying in the months ahead.
The optics of this theatre cannot be more interesting. While Trump is trying to assert itself by imposing compounding Tariffs, India under PM Modi is standing firm. The Prime Minister’s stance is clear- nothing is supreme than national interest, especially Indian farmers; for the implementation of Tariffs would place our MSME sector and agro industry at risk.
Russian President Putin’s call exerts the balance of power in geopolitical dynamics. The upcoming Putin visit is poised to be another step in reinforcing India’s position as an independent, confident, and influential player in global affairs.