Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed on Friday to expand and diversify trade beyond oil and defence, despite western pressure on New Delhi to scale back its decades-old ties with Moscow.
India, the world's top buyer of Russian arms and seaborne oil, rolled out the red carpet for Mr Putin's two-day state visit, his first to New Delhi since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The trip coincides with New Delhi's talks with the US on a trade deal to cut punitive tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on its goods because India bought Russian oil.
Russia has said it wants to import more Indian goods in an effort to grow trade to $100 billion by 2030. Bilateral trade has so far been skewed in Moscow's favour due to New Delhi's energy imports. It reached $68.7 billion in 2024-25 – almost six times higher than pre-pandemic levels – but Indian exports accounted for only $4.88 billion.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend a plenary session of the India-Russia Trade Forum in New Delhi on Friday. EPA
Seated beside Mr Putin after their meeting, Mr Modi described India's enduring partnership with Russia as
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