Beijing: President Putin and I travelled together to the venue of our bilateral meeting, said PM Modi. Modi in his twitter x account posted that I and Russian President Vladimir Putin travelled in the same vehicle to the destination of their bilateral meeting after the proceedings at the SCO Summit venue in Tianjin on Monday.

Conversations with him are always insightful and sharing his picture with the Russian leader Putin, he posted in his twitter x.

According to the sources President Putin wanted to travel together with PM Modi from the SCO conference venue to the bilateral meeting held at the Ritz-Carlton hotel. He apparently waited for about 10 minutes for PM Modi so that he could join him.

Then both leaders travelled together in his car, conversing on various issues. They spent another 45 minutes in the car even after reaching the bilateral meeting venue. After this, both leaders had a full bilateral meeting which went on for over an hour, sources said.

India and Russia have been among the steadiest of the major relationships in the world after the Second World War. New Delhi became one of the biggest Russian oil buyers since the Ukraine war broke out in 2022, and Western nations shunned energy imports from Moscow and imposed price caps on Russian crude trade. However, there is no blanket prohibition on the purchase of Russian oil if the deals meet the parameters of the Western sanctions.

The two nations are also making efforts to simplify the rupee-ruble trade mechanism, aiming to reduce reliance on the US dollar amid growing global financial complexities.

Putin addressed India’s role in Ukraine peace efforts and he appreciates China and India’s efforts to resolve the crisis in Ukraine. Putin highlighted the growing role of Asian powers in conflict resolution, traditionally dominated by Western nations.

This is PM Modi and President Putin’s first in-person meeting since October 2024, when they met on the margins of the BRICS summit in Kazan.

In the latest photo, Putin is seen on the left, Prime Minister Modi at the centre, and Xi Jinping on the right, walking together in a relaxed manner to pose for a SCO family photo.

PM Modi shared a picture and wrote in his twitter x that interactions in Tianjin continue! Exchanging perspectives with President Putin and President Xi during the SCO Summit.

The Prime Minister also posted another image with Russian President Putin, where the two leaders were seen shaking hands and hugging.