Russian President Vladimir Putin approved Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emphasizing that he cannot be easily coerced into making decisions that go against the country’s best interests. He also spoke in favor of PM Modi’s challenging posturing and stance to defend the country’s national interests.
The Russian President’s Office quoted Putin saying on the 14th VTB Investment Forum known as “Russian Calling.” It stated, ” I cannot imagine that Modi could be intimidated to take any sort of actions, steps, and decisions that are contrary to the National interests of India and the Indian people. We never talked about it, still I know there is such huge pressure all the time. I just look at what is happening from the outside, and to be honest, sometimes I am amazed at his tough position on defending the national interests of India”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin underlined the Bilateral ties between the two nations.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted that the Bilateral Relationship between Russia and India has been “developing progressively” in all directions.
- Addressing the Forum, President Putin said that the main safeguard of the relationship between Russia and India is the “policy” implemented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Putin expressed his thoughts on how Russia and India could enhance their bilateral trade. He emphasized that the relationship between the two nations is continuously advancing in various aspects, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi playing a crucial role as the main advocate of this policy.
- Putin referred to Modi as one of those influential political figures he mentioned earlier without specifically mentioning their names.
Russian President Vladimir Putin marked a note on trade between the two countries
- Highlighting the increasing trade volume between India and Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized that it had reached 35 billion dollars annually in the previous year, and by the first half of this year, it had already reached 33.5 billion dollars. This indicates a significant growth trend.
- It is widely acknowledged that India benefits from discounted prices on Russian energy resources, which explains its favorable position. Overall, these actions are deemed appropriate and commendable.
- If I were in their position, I would also make the same decision if the circumstances unfolded in this manner. They are earning money, and it is justified.
- However, this alone is insufficient. We have a much greater opportunity available to us. In terms of both purchasing power parity and economic volume, India ranks third globally among economies, while Russia holds the fifth position on the list.
- “Allow me to recall your memory – China, the United States, India, Japan, and Russia are currently the top five economies in the world based on purchasing power parity. It is worth mentioning that our trade turnover with China is expected to reach approximately 200 billion this year. However, it would be prudent for us to also focus on increasing trade with India,” stated the President of Russia.
- Putin announced that he plans to hold talks with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi regarding the north-south Corridor. The Russian president’s office confirmed that India is keen on establishing similar routes.
- Putin emphasized the importance of developing the Northern Sea route, referring to it as a highly promising area in terms of logistics.
The Russian President also emphasized the need to develop the financial infrastructure and use more national currencies in mutual settlements. He called for paying more attention to investments and investment flows.
It is not the first time that a Russian leader has praised India’s foreign policy. Earlier in November, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov cited the statement of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar while elaborating on the change in global Structure and multipolarity due to the rise of players like Global South and Global East.
