End the ‘endless war’: Modi tells Putin

New Delhi, August 30

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the world must move away from an “endless war” towards an “end of war”, invoking India’s long-standing tradition of peace.

“Bharat, of Gandhi and Buddha, believes in peace,” Modi said during his meeting with Putin in Bishkek, underlining India’s position that dialogue and diplomacy should remain the way forward in resolving conflicts. The Ukraine war figured prominently in the discussions between the two leaders, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri saying the conflict was discussed “in great detail”.

Misri said the Ukraine issue had been discussed by Modi and Putin on “every occasion”, indicating that the conflict remains an important part of the regular conversation between the two leaders.

The meeting also focused on the broader India-Russia relationship.

In a post on X, Modi said he had held “extensive discussions” with Putin on the full range of the India-Russia “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership”. He said the two countries had made significant progress across several sectors in recent years, while identifying energy, innovation, space, fertilisers and people-to-people ties as key areas for further cooperation.