Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on 1 September in Tianjin, China. The meeting will take place after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Prime Minister Modi will first address the SCO plenary session. “Tomorrow, the Prime Minister will be addressing the plenary session of the Summit, where he will outline India’s approach to fostering regional cooperation under the SCO umbrella. After this engagement, he is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, following which he will depart for India,” Misri said.
Had a fruitful meeting with President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan. We agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas and… pic.twitter.com/HBYS5lhe9d
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2025
Significance of Modi-Putin Meeting
The meeting between Modi and Putin holds importance as India faces pressure from the Trump administration to reduce its purchase of Russian crude oil. This will be their first in-person meeting after Trump’s second US presidency.
PM Modi and Putin last interacted on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024. With India recalibrating ties with Russia and China, this bilateral engagement comes at a key moment for trade and diplomatic cooperation.
Agenda of the Bilateral Talks
Modi and Putin are expected to discuss several critical issues. Recently, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Russian counterpart in Moscow on 22 August to discuss energy cooperation, joint extraction projects in Russia, and trade balance.
India has been focusing on reducing the trade gap, which remains in Russia’s favour. Reports suggest Modi and Putin could take up these issues during their bilateral meeting. New Delhi has also urged Moscow to remove non-tariff barriers that restrict Indian goods from entering Russia.
India Seeks Higher Exports to Russia
India aims to increase exports to Russia in sectors like pharmaceuticals, textiles, and farm products. At present, Russia is India’s fourth-largest trading partner, while India is Russia’s second-largest. Following US tariffs, India and Russia have strengthened their engagements.
Modi and Putin also spoke twice over the phone after Trump imposed a 25 per cent penalty on Indian goods for buying Russian oil.
Upcoming Visits and Diplomatic Moves
Reports indicate that Moscow and New Delhi have finalised President Putin’s visit to India, likely in December, for the annual India-Russia Summit. Before meeting Putin, Prime Minister Modi also held a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “We exchanged views on the ongoing conflict, its humanitarian aspect, and efforts to restore peace and stability.
Must Read: SCO Summit 2025: Pakistan PM Shehabaz Seen Rushing To Shake Hand With Putin, Trolled
Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
