Putin on Friendship with Modi

October 5, 2026

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi isn’t considered one of the world’s most popular leaders for nothing. His personality is such that the presidents of the world’s two most powerful nations are proud to call him their friend. The dignity of Indian leadership is such that India’s opinion matters in solving the world’s complex problems. A war has raged between Russia and Ukraine for the past four years, with no sign of it ending. The devastation appears to be wreaking havoc on the economies of both countries. Russian President Putin said, “Modi is my friend, he has good suggestions to stop the war, he constantly raises the issue of ending the Ukraine war, and in every meeting he talks about stopping the war and finding a way to peace.” Putin said this during a forum in Moscow. He said, “Despite Modi’s constant insistence, he remains my good friend.” Putin and Modi spoke before the BRICS summit in New Delhi last month. The Russian President then briefed Modi on the situation in the Ukraine war and peace efforts that have been ongoing since February 2022. Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Kremlin, where the Russian President’s official residence and office is located, stated that Russia welcomes any peace proposal from India to end the conflict with Ukraine. He also stated that this policy of dialogue and diplomatic solution aligns the positions of Moscow and New Delhi. Modi was also praised at the time for maintaining a balance in India’s governance despite the linguistic diversity of its nearly 1.5 billion people. India has emerged as a major power on the international stage. Its advocacy for peace and nonviolence and its policy of resolving disputes through dialogue are widely praised, and now even Putin has. A deeper look at Putin’s statement reveals that Russia not only respects India but is also eager to maintain good social, cultural, and trade relations with India, even as the United States threatens to impose a 100% additional tariff on India’s purchase of Russian oil.