‘Land of Gandhi, Buddha has one message’: Modi reiterates India's call for peace to Putin

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, conveyed a message of peace to Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying it is important to move away from an "endless war" and work towards bringing the conflict in Ukraine to an end. Modi made the remarks during talks with Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The two leaders discussed the Ukraine conflict and India-Russia ties, including cooperation in trade and investment, energy and defence.

"We have consistently discussed the issue of Ukraine. When we met previously, you briefed me in detail on all aspects of the matter," Modi told Putin.

The prime minister reiterated that India supports all efforts towards peace and would continue to do so. "Every day spent in war sets humanity back, whereas every step taken towards peace fills humanity with new hope and enthusiasm," Modi said.

Modi called for an early peaceful resolution of the conflict, describing it as a necessity for humanity. "We must move away from endless war towards an end to the war. This is essential for the well-being of humanity," he said, adding, "A peaceful resolution to all issues at the earliest is the call of humanity, and this is India's message."

Invoking India's traditions, the Modi told Putin that the country's message remained one of peace. "The land of Gandhi and the land of Buddha share a single message: the path of peace," he said.

The meeting also came ahead of Putin's visit to India for the annual BRICS summit. Modi said Indians were looking forward to welcoming the Russian President and his delegation.

"Your visit will strengthen our bilateral relations and further reinforce dialogue and cooperation within the BRICS framework," he said.

Modi also recalled Putin's visit to India last year, describing it as "highly successful and truly memorable".

He expressed satisfaction that cooperation between the two countries continued to grow, saying national interest would remain the guiding principle of their relationship.

Putin, meanwhile, said India-Russia relations continued to strengthen on the basis of a "special and privileged partnership". He thanked Modi for his attention to bilateral relations and referred to the "business and friendly relations" established between the two leaders.

The Russian president also highlighted cooperation between India and Russia at the United Nations, BRICS, G20 and SCO.

Putin noted that around 40,000 Indian students are studying in Russia, and the number has increased sevenfold in recent years. Mutual tourist flows have also grown by 16 per cent.

I’d like to note with satisfaction that Russian-Indian relations continue to strengthen on the basis of the principles of a special and privileged partnership."

Following the talks, Modi, in a tweet, said the two leaders had held extensive discussions covering 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 the India-Russia friendship remain energy, innovation, space, fertilisers and people-to-people linkages,” the prime minister said.

After their bilateral meeting, Modi and Putin travelled together in the same car to the opening ceremony of the VI World Nomad Games at Bishkek Arena.