New Delhi, Sept. 1: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek and said the world “must move from endless war to an end of war for the benefit of humanity”.

The Indian External Affairs Ministry said the two leaders discussed conflicts in West Asia and in the Black Sea region, where, in recent months, Indian seafarers have been attacked by both Russian and Ukrainian forces.

“Had extensive discussions with President Putin. Discussed the full range of the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. It is gladdening to see significant progress across various sectors in recent years. Focus areas for India-Russia friendship remain energy, innovation, space, fertilisers, and people-to-people linkages,” said Prime Minister Modi.

In a statement, the Ministry said, “They also shared perspectives on key regional and global issues of mutual interest, including the conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region which have impacted maritime trade and the safety and security of Indian seafarers. The Prime Minister reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy were the way forward in resolving conflicts.”

The upcoming BRICS summit featured prominently in the discussion, and Modi said he “looks forward to welcoming President Putin in India for the 18th BRICS summit on 12-13 September”.

The Bishkek meeting between Modi and  Putin featured in talks during Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to the Kremlin on August 24, 2026, when  Putin had indicated that he would meet Prime Minister Modi in Kyrgyzstan and also at the BRICS summit in Delhi.

“This time, our meeting is taking place on the eve of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit – an organisation that works to deepen contacts among the countries of the Global South and East, promotes the region’s socioeconomic and cultural development, and contributes to building a just multipolar world,” said President Putin in his remarks, reminding that next year will mark the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between New Delhi and Moscow.

Putin noted that the number of Indian students in Russia has increased almost seven-fold in a decade, and currently 40,000 Indians are studying in Russia.

President Putin said trade and economic cooperation between Russia and India is showing positive trends, with trade turnover increasing by more than 2%. He noted the growth in tourist exchanges between the two countries, with a 16% increase in 2025.-Agencies