Putin says energy ties with India remain 'unaffected'

New Delhi appears to approach Russian President Vladimir Putin's offer of "uninterrupted fuel supplies" with caution, in light of US tariffs and sanctions.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters that during Putin's visit that recent sanctions imposed on Russian oil were discussed.

Addressing the future of energy trade between the two countries, Misri said Indian energy companies make decisions based on "evolving market dynamics" and "commercial issues that they confront while sourcing their supplies," in seeming reference to sanctions and prices.

"We are continuing our cooperation between the two countries," he said, stressing that India's priority was to secure the energy needs of its 1.4 billion people.

Misri said the talks also included meetings between both countries' defense ministers, but no final deal was struck.

During a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his country's support for peace efforts in Ukraine. 

Watch the report from DW here:

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed relations between India and Russia as a "friendship" built on "mutual respect and deep trust" which, throughout the many crises faced by humanity, has "stood the test of time."

Speaking at the end of Russian President Vladimir Putin's two-day visit to New Delhi, during which India and Russia agreed to expand and diversify their trade links, Modi compared the relationship to the "pole star."

Among the initiatives announced to deepen economic ties beyond oil and defense were a relaxation of entry regulations for Indians moving to Russia for work, a joint-venture fertilizer plant in Russia, a nuclear power plant in southern India and enhanced cooperation across agriculture, health care and shipping.

A joint statement issued by both governments said: "The leaders emphasized that in the current complex, tense, and uncertain geopolitical situation, Russian-Indian ties remain resilient to external pressure."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticized the United States for applying pressure on India to refrain from purchasing Russian oil.

"If the US has the right to buy our [nuclear] fuel, why shouldn't India have the same privilege?" he said in an interview with broadcaster India Today aired late on Thursday, adding that he would be discussing the matter with US President Donald Trump.

Despite economic sanctions, both Washington and the European Union still import billions of dollars worth of Russian energy products, including liquefied natural gas and enriched uranium,

Russian President Vladimir Putin has insisted that Russia's energy agreements with India have not been affected by geopolitical developments such as the ongoing war in Ukraine.

"Our energy cooperation with India remains unaffected by present political shifts," Putin said in New Delhi, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry, adding:

"Trade in petroleum products and the refining of Russian oil for Indian consumers proceeds in a completely stable and predictable manner."

Russia and India will reshape their defense ties to take account of New Delhi's push for self-reliance, the two countries said in a joint statement on Friday after a summit between President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"In response to India's aspirations for self-reliance, the partnership is currently being reoriented toward joint research and development, as well as the production of advanced defence platforms," the statement said. 

"The leaders emphasized that in the current complex, tense, and uncertain geopolitical situation, Russian-Indian ties remain resilient to external pressure," the statement added.

Russia's state-controlled international broadcaster RT, formerly called Russia Today, is set to launch its official bureau in India, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.

Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Putin said access to RT will help Indian viewers learn more about Russia via what he called "objective information."

RT has been frequently labeled a propaganda outlet for the Russian government – not only by international watchdogs and regulators but also by some of its own employees.

Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan, who has been sanctioned by the European Union as a "central figure of Russian government propaganda," herself stated during Russia's invasion of Georgia in 2008 that RT was "waging an information war… with the entire Western world."

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, tech and internet giants such as Microsoft and Apple have also removed RT from their app stores, while social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and TikTok have also restricted RT content.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he signed "numerous agreements" with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi aimed at "strengthening cooperation" with India.

Among the agreements was a Russian commitment to provide New Delhi with "uninterrupted fuel supplies" for the "fast-growing Indian economy," Putin said.

"Russia is a reliable supplier of oil, gas, coal, and everything that is required for the development of India's energy," he added. 

In 2024, Russia supplied India with around 1.8 million barrels of discounted oil per day, nearly 36% of the country's total crude imports,
Describing his talks with Modi and Indian officials as "useful," Putin said the agreements would "further enhance [Russia's] strategic partnership with India."

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "India is not neutral" when it comes to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

"India has a position, and that position is for peace," Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin as they opened talks at the 23rd Russia-India Summit in New Delhi. "We support every effort for peace, and we stand shoulder to shoulder with every initiative taken for peace."

Putin responded by thanking Modi for his "attention and efforts" aimed at resolving the conflict.

"We had the opportunity – and you gave me that opportunity – to speak in detail about what is happening on the Ukrainian track and about the steps we are taking jointly with some other partners, including the United States, toward a possible peaceful settlement of this crisis," Putin said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a ceremonial welcome with a guard of honor at the Rashtrapati Bhavan presidential palace in New Delhi.

Putin then visited Rajghat, Mahatma Gandhi's memorial, where he left a short note in the visitor's book, writing:

"One of the founders of the modern Indian state, the great philosopher and humanist Mahatma Gandhi made an invaluable contribution to world peace. His ideas on freedom, virtue, and humanity remain relevant, essentially anticipating the new, just, multi-national world order that is now in the process of formation. In his letters to Tolstoy, he discussed the future of the world, the principles of equality, and the need for respect for the peoples of the world. And it is precisely these principles and values that Russia and India are jointly defending on the international stage today."

Putin is scheduled to attend a state banquet hosted by India's president, Droupadi Murmu.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that he has briefed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation in Ukraine, Russian state news agency TASS said.

Putin added that the conversation included details regarding the Kremlin's talks with the US on a possible settlement of the Ukraine war.

Modi said India stood on the side of peace and urged a return to stability, referring to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Reuters news agency reported.

Putin thanked Modi for India's attention to peace efforts and said Moscow aimed to deepen bilateral cooperation.

"We plan to move forward in all these areas," the Russian leader said.

Russia's Vladimir Putin and India's Narendra Modi are slated to discuss: 

• Delayed deliveries of Russian S-400 air defense systems under a 2018 deal worth about $5.4 billion (€4.63 billion)
• Upgrades to Su-30MKI fighter jets
• Deliveries of critical military hardware
• Migration of Indian skilled workers to Russia
• Boosting bilateral trade to $100 billion (€85.79 billion) by 2030 from the current $68.7 billion
• Expanding India's exports in pharmaceuticals, agriculture and textiles 

Russian President Vladimir Putin's second day in New Delhi will feature a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 23rd Russia-India Summit.

The annual summit is expected to focus on defense, energy and trade, according to Indian officials, even as India faces US pressure over its purchases of Russian oil.

The meeting between the leaders comes as New Delhi seeks to balance ties with Moscow and Washington, against the backdrop of the Ukraine war and US tariffs of 50% on most Indian goods.

India has been the second biggest importer of Russian crude oil after China. So, energy security is expected to be a big topic of discussion.

While India has long maintained close ties with Russia, critics say Putin's visit could impact ties with the European Union and the United States, complicating key export negotiations. 

Putin last visited India in 2021, but Modi and Putin last met in September during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

Friday is day two of Russian President Vladimir Putin's state visit to India, with the leaders set to discuss trade and energy ties.

Putin arrived in India on Thursday, with the two leaders having held private talks at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official residence later that evening.

India has been under US pressure to cut its purchases of Russian oil, with US President Donald Trump having slapped tariffs of 50% on Indian goods in August.

At the same time, Indian negotiators have been trying to strike a trade deal with the US, as well as the EU.

As Putin and Modi dine and engage in private talks on Thursday night, we are putting this live blog on pause.

We'll be back with further developments during Putin's visit to India as they become available. Check back later for updates.