Putin invites PM Modi as India seeks to broker Russia-Ukraine peace talks

Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday reportedly invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bilateral talks on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in October. The invitation assumes special significance as New Delhi is believed to be playing a crucial role in brokering a peal deal between Ukraine and Russia.

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, who is currently in Russia, held wide-ranging talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu in St. Petersburg and discussed important issues of "mutual interests" amid fresh calls for India's possible role in finding a solution to the Ukraine conflict. The Doval-Shoigu meeting on Wednesday evening took place on the margins of a conclave of national security advisors of the BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) nations.

During a conversation with NSA Ajit Doval, Putin, reportedly expressed his desire to meet PM Modi on October 22, emphasizing the warm relations between the two leaders.

The invitation comes amid ongoing diplomatic engagements between India and Russia, with both nations playing significant roles within the BRICS framework.

A Modi-Putin meeting would focus on further strengthening the bilateral ties and discussing regional and global issues of mutual interest, including energy cooperation, trade, and defense collaboration.

PM Modi and President Putin have maintained a close and strategic relationship, underlined by frequent high-level exchanges. The proposed meeting at the BRICS summit is expected to continue fostering the partnership between India and Russia, as both countries look to navigate an evolving geopolitical landscape.