New Delhi: Russian president Vladimir Putin was all praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an exclusive interview with India Today ahead of his visit to India on Thursday.
Putin praised the Prime Minister’s relentless dedication to his work, saying that observing that Modi “lives and breathes India”.
“We have very trustworthy and friendly relations. He is a very reliable person. In that sense, I’m speaking very sincerely. India got lucky. He lives and breathes India,” he said when asked about Prime Minister Modi.
Putin described the Indian PM as “a person or integrity” and said it was a “great pleasure” to speak with him. the
The Russian president also said that the Indian leader is deeply committed to strengthening ties between his country and India across a wide spectrum, particularly on key areas of economic cooperation, defence, humanitarian engagement, and high-technology development.
“It is very interesting to meet him,” Putin added.
During Modi’s earlier visit to Moscow, the two leaders had an engaging conversation, Putin recalled.
“He travelled there, and we sat together at my residence. We drank tea the whole evening and discussed a range of topics. We simply had an interesting conversation, purely like humans,” he said.
The Russian president is in India for the annual summit between the two countries that is aimed at further strengthening a durable eight-decade-old bilateral partnership that has remained steady despite global geopolitical upheavals. The discussions are expected to focus on cooperation in defence, trade, and technology.
Modi received Putin at the airport with a warm embrace before heading towards his official residence with the Russian premier. The two travelled in the Indian Prime Minister’s official vehicle. Modi hosted Putin for a private dinner later in the evening.
When Modi met Putin in the Chinese city of Tianjin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, the two leaders had taken a ride in the Russian president’s official vehicle. This has drawn global attention, particularly as it came amid strained geopolitical currents and US’s tariff pressure on India over New Delhi’s relations with Moscow.
