Image Source: Agencies

Aug 19, 2025: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shared an assessment of his recent meeting with US President Donald Trump in Alaska.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shared an assessment of his recent meeting with US President Donald Trump in Alaska.

"Thank my friend, President Putin, for his phone call and for sharing insights on his recent meeting with President Trump in Alaska," Modi wrote in a post on X. India backs any and all efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine and has repeatedly called for it. I am eager to continue our conversations in the days to come. Modi and Putin also touched upon a number of issues of bilateral cooperation with a view to further strengthen the "special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia".

This is the second time in the last 10 days that the two leaders have stressed the bilateral relations. Prior to their conversation on August 8, Modi and Putin had reaffirmed their commitment to expanding their strategic partnership. The annual leaders' summit, the 23rd such meeting between the top leaderships of the two nations, is scheduled to take place in India later this year. Steven Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, had met with the Russian President in Moscow on August 6. He had called Modi after two days. The talks between Modi and Putin about "deepening ties" come after Trump put high tariffs on India. The total tariffs imposed on Indian goods exported to the United States have increased to 50% as a result of the additional 25% tariff imposed on India by the US president. India has frequently been accused of aiding Moscow's "war machine" in Ukraine by the United States and its European allies. Trump has shown his displeasure at India importing Russian crude oil and also sourcing weapons from Moscow.