PM Modi Urges Putin to Move From ‘Endless War’ to ‘End of War’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to move from "endless war" to an "end of war" on Monday, four and a half years into the Russia-Ukraine war.

At the beginning of Monday's bilateral meeting in Bishkek, PM Modi told Putin in his televised opening remarks,

“We have been discussing the Ukraine issue. When we met previously, you briefed me in detail on all aspects of the matter. As you know, India supports all efforts towards peace, and will continue to do so.”

PM Modi further added that every day of war sets humanity back, whereas every step taken towards peace fills humanity with new hope and enthusiasm.

“We must move away from endless war towards an end to the war. This is crucial for the well-being of humanity. A peaceful resolution to all issues at the earliest is the call of humanity, and this is India’s message. The land of Gandhi and Buddha shares a single message: the path of peace,” he said.

He said that focusing on national interest as the paramount priority had been a shared approach between the two countries and would remain their guiding principle in the future. His remarks came in the context of India’s continued purchase of Russian energy over the last four and a half years of the war to cushion the inflationary impact on Indians.

Putin praises India-Russia strategic partnership

Putin, on his part, said that relations between the two countries “continue to strengthen on the principles of a special and privileged strategic partnership”. Addressing PM Modi, he said,

“This is undoubtedly facilitated by your personal attention to the development of Russia-India relations, as well as by the close personal friendship that has developed between us, for which I am very grateful to you.”

Flagging economic ties, he said,

“Trade and economic cooperation is showing positive trends overall. There was a slight decline last year, but in the first half of 2026, trade turnover increased by 2.6%. A week ago, the Intergovernmental Commission met in Moscow and also reported good results.”

He was referring to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent visit to Moscow, where they discussed the upward trend.

He noted that both Russian and Indian cultural festivals are organised regularly, highlighting interpersonal relationships. The next one is scheduled to take place in India in 2027. According to Putin, tourist exchanges are also growing quickly, rising by 16% in 2025.

“This time, our meeting is taking place on the eve of the SCO Summit — an organisation that works to deepen contacts among the countries of the Global South and East, promotes the region’s socio-economic and cultural development, and contributes to building a just multipolar world,” he said.

Putin confirms India visit for BRICS Summit

Putin said that India and Russia would mark the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year and that Russia was preparing for the upcoming BRICS Summit in New Delhi in September. He also confirmed his visit to India.

The two leaders are expected to meet again in Delhi for the BRICS leaders' summit on September 12–13.