MODI AND PUTIN HOLD TALKS TO ADVANCE BILATERAL PARTNERSHIP

By Shakir Husain

NEW DELHI, July 9 (Bernama) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in Moscow on Tuesday to advance bilateral relations with focus on energy and trade.

Their talks covered the issue of Ukraine, with Modi telling Putin that a peaceful solution to the conflict should be found.

Caught between its historically close relations with Russia and growing ties with the United States-led Western bloc, India has faced challenges in prioritising its economic, military and geopolitical interests.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a social media post on Monday, criticised Modi for hugging Putin at the Novo-Ogaryovo presidential residence outside Moscow.

On Tuesday, Modi in his remarks during the meeting with Putin before their formal delegation-level talks mentioned the "pain" of war.

"Whether it is war, conflict or a terrorist attack, any person who believes in humanity, is pained when there is loss of lives," Modi said.

"But even in that, when innocent children are killed, the heart bleeds and that pain is very terrifying," he said.

The Indian prime minister urged an end to the Ukraine war through dialogue.

"Solutions are not possible on the battleground. Amidst guns, bullets and bombs, peace talks cannot be successful. We have to find the path to peace only through talks," he said.

Modi thanked Russia for helping India during the past five years, which he described as "worrisome and challenging for the world” due to the coronavirus crisis followed by conflicts and tensions in different regions.

“While the world was facing food, fuel and fertiliser security crises, our friendship and cooperation helped us in preventing such difficulties for Indian farmers," the Indian prime minister said.

The Russian president told Modi that "our relations have the nature of a privileged strategic partnership" and expressed satisfaction with growing bilateral trade, which increased 66 per cent last year, according to a TASS news agency report.

The Russian president conferred his country's highest national honour the Order of St Andrew the Apostle on Modi for his contribution to India-Russia ties.

Modi is the first Indian leader to receive this award.

-- BERNAMA