New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin has reaffirmed the strength of Russia’s partnership with India, stating that efforts by Western nations to push New Delhi into reducing cooperation with Moscow are ineffective and harmful to international relations.
Speaking in St. Petersburg during an interaction with leaders of major global news organisations, Putin praised India’s economic progress and highlighted the growing importance of bilateral ties between the two countries. He expressed confidence that trade between Russia and India would continue to expand and could reach the USD 100 billion mark in the coming years.
The Russian leader credited India’s strong economic performance to sustained policy efforts under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He described India as one of the world’s leading economies and noted that its rapid growth has been driven by consistent governance and long term development initiatives.
Putin also underlined India’s commitment to an independent foreign policy, saying New Delhi has the right to build and maintain relations with countries that serve its national interests. According to him, India’s growing engagement with the United States does not create obstacles for Russia or weaken the longstanding partnership between Moscow and New Delhi.
Addressing concerns about geopolitical competition, Putin said Russia welcomes India’s efforts to strengthen ties with multiple global powers. He added that attempts by outside forces to pressure India over its relationship with Russia have not yielded results.
The Russian president remarked that the international community increasingly recognises that exerting pressure on India or its leadership is counterproductive and can negatively affect broader diplomatic relations. He stressed that India will continue to make decisions based on its own strategic priorities rather than external demands.
Describing India as a trusted and dependable partner, Putin said Russia sees no adverse consequences arising from New Delhi’s relations with other countries. He further characterised India as a major democracy and an influential global power, reiterating Moscow’s commitment to expanding cooperation across economic, strategic and diplomatic sectors.
His remarks underscore the continuing resilience of Russia-India ties despite shifting global alignments and evolving geopolitical challenges.
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