On the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Modi said, “We have been continuously discussing the war in Ukraine, and we welcome the recent efforts to bring about peace.” This is in reference to the recent meeting between Putin and US President Donald Trump.

“We hope that all parties will move forward constructively on this process… will have to find a solution to end the war quickly and establish lasting peace… this is the call from the entire humanity,” he said.

Modi and Putin met informally on Monday morning, ahead of the SCO leaders’ summit, when they were seen chatting with each other, and with the host, Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the venue.

The leaders left the summit in the same car and then held a bilateral meeting, along with senior officials from both sides.

This was their first meeting since the US penalised India for buying Russian oil.

Putin met Trump in Alaska earlier this month. He has spoken to Modi twice in August — once before and again after meeting the US President.

The meeting between Modi and Putin assumes significance since Trump has taken exception to India’s purchase of Russian oil and levied an extra 25 per cent tariff on top of the reciprocal tariff of 25 per cent imposed on India.

Last week, Peter Navarro, Trump’s trade advisor, described the Russia-Ukraine war as “Modi’s war”, and said that “the road to peace runs, at least partly, right through New Delhi”, adding, “everybody in America loses because of what India is doing”.

India has maintained a firm stand on its strategic autonomy. Vinay Kumar, Indian ambassador to Russia, told Russia’s TASS news agency: “Indian companies will continue buying (oil) from wherever they get the best deal.”

India has said that China and Europe, too, have been buying cheap Russian oil, but Washington has singled out New Delhi.

Russia has also criticised Trump’s tariff action and backed India’s right to choose its trading partners.

As Prime Minister Modi reached Tianjin for the SCO summit, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy also spoke to him and said that “the end of this (Ukraine) war must begin with an immediate ceasefire”.

Zelenskyy also said that “India is ready to make the necessary efforts and to deliver the appropriate signal to Russia and other leaders” at the summit.-Agencies