Modi-Putin talks focus on trade, strategic ties; share car ride after meeting

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday held wide-ranging talks covering trade, energy, defence, space and global conflicts before sharing a car ride and jointly visiting the INNOPROM India exhibition at Bharat Mandapam. The meeting, held on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, was the second between the two leaders in less than a fortnight. Modi and Putin had earlier met in Bishkek on August 31 on the sidelines of the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the two leaders reviewed progress across the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, including cooperation in trade, energy, defence, space and people-to-people ties. An ambitious bilateral trade target also figured in the discussions, with India and Russia looking to take trade to USD 100 billion by 2030, according to sources. The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global developments, including the conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region. These developments have affected maritime trade and raised concerns over the safety and security of Indian seafarers. Modi reiterated India's position that dialogue and diplomacy remained the way forward in resolving conflicts and said New Delhi was prepared to contribute to peace efforts. Following their talks, Modi and Putin shared a car ride to Bharat Mandapam, where they visited INNOPROM India, the International Industrial Exhibition being held in the country for the first time from September 9 to 11. The two leaders welcomed the exhibition as an additional avenue for widening economic and industrial cooperation between India and Russia. They interacted with participants during their visit. INNOPROM serves as an international platform connecting manufacturers, buyers and businesses while showcasing industrial technologies. Its India edition is expected to open further opportunities for collaboration in sectors such as railways, tunnelling and steel, while creating more business-to-business linkages and improving access to the Russian market. The success of the first INNOPROM India exhibition was also discussed during the Modi-Putin meeting, according to sources. The engagement came as both countries seek to expand their economic relationship beyond their traditionally strong areas of defence and energy and build greater industrial and commercial linkages despite geopolitical uncertainties. The two leaders agreed to remain engaged to further strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership. Putin also invited Modi to visit Russia for the 24th India-Russia Annual Summit. Modi accepted the invitation, while dates for the meeting will be finalised through diplomatic channels based on mutual convenience. A cultural element also featured in Friday's interaction, with Modi presenting Putin a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, the classical Tamil work attributed to poet-saint Thiruvalluvar. "Two thousand years ago, Thiruvalluvar wrote the Thirukkural. It includes the entire gamut of human life. It has been translated into the Russian language. I am confident that the people-to-people contact will increase with the translation of the Thirukkural into Russian, which will play a big role in strengthening our relations," Modi told Putin. Modi later said in a post on X that the Russian translation carried "the eternal wisdom of the great Thiruvalluvar across languages and borders." Presented President Putin with a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, which carries the eternal wisdom of the great Thiruvalluvar across languages and borders. pic.twitter.com/rvk3rRDnvg — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 11, 2026 The Thirukkural contains 1,330 two-line couplets dealing with three broad themes: aram, or virtue; porul, covering wealth and statecraft; and inbam, or love. The centuries-old work is among the most revered texts in Tamil literature.