Russian President Vladimir Putin today held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to further boost cooperation between the two strategic partners in crucial sectors like defence, energy and trade at a time when Russian economy was facing Western sanctions.
Putin, who arrived here last night, is likely to push for enhancing supply of military hardware to India as well as expansion of bilateral economic engagement in a range of areas. It is the first annual summit meeting between Putin and Modi. The two leaders had met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Brazil in July and during the G-20 summit in Australia last month.
“Times have changed, our friendship has not. Now, we want to take this relation to the next level & this visit is a step in that direction,” Modi tweeted last night. The talks at the highest level have been taking place since 2000 alternately in Moscow and New Delhi.
