External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on Monday and conveyed a personal message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Russia discussed bilateral cooperation and preparations for upcoming high-level engagements.

Jaishankar, who was on a two-day visit to Russia, also briefed Putin on the outcome of the 27th India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC). The meeting comes ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit and the BRICS Summit, where Modi and Putin are expected to meet.

Modi looks forward to Putin meeting

During the Kremlin meeting, Jaishankar conveyed Modi’s greetings to Putin and said the Indian prime minister was looking forward to meeting the Russian president at the upcoming SCO Summit.

Jaishankar also conveyed Modi’s invitation to Putin to visit India for the BRICS Summit.

“Prime Minister Modi looks forward to meeting you at the SCO Summit, then welcoming you to India for the Brics Summit,” Jaishankar said, according to ANI.

Putin, in response, asked Jaishankar to convey his best wishes to Modi and expressed hope of meeting the Indian prime minister at the SCO Summit. He also indicated that another meeting between the two leaders could take place later this year.

Trade and economic ties discussed

The talks also focused on the growing economic relationship between India and Russia.

Jaishankar highlighted developments in bilateral cooperation following the recent intergovernmental commission meeting. Areas discussed included trade, energy, fertilisers, nuclear energy and high-technology cooperation.

Putin pointed to the rise in bilateral trade and said Moscow was working to maintain and increase fertiliser supplies to India.

Fertilisers remain an important area of cooperation for India, particularly given the role of imported supplies in supporting the country’s agricultural sector.

Energy remains key priority

Energy cooperation also featured prominently in the discussions.

India and Russia have maintained significant energy ties, while both sides have continued to explore opportunities for expanding cooperation across the broader energy sector. Nuclear energy was also identified as an area of continued bilateral engagement.

The discussions come as New Delhi and Moscow seek to deepen economic and strategic cooperation while navigating an increasingly complex global geopolitical environment.

Jaishankar also meets Lavrov

During his Moscow visit, Jaishankar also held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

The two ministers discussed bilateral cooperation as well as regional conflicts, global challenges and issues on the multilateral agenda.

The meetings are part of continued high-level diplomatic engagement between India and Russia, with both countries maintaining regular communication on bilateral and international issues.

SCO and BRICS meetings ahead

The upcoming SCO and BRICS summits are expected to provide opportunities for Modi and Putin to discuss bilateral ties as well as wider regional and global developments.

The possibility of another meeting between the two leaders also comes at a time when India is seeking to strengthen economic cooperation with Russia across trade, energy, fertilisers, technology and other sectors.

Jaishankar’s meeting with Putin therefore assumes significance as New Delhi prepares for a series of high-level engagements involving key international partners.