PM Modi, Russian President Putin may hold summit this year: Indian envoy

Moscow [Russia]: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are likely to hold a summit before the end of this year, India’s ambassador to Moscow was quoted as saying by Russian news agency RIA.

“This is being discussed. Discussions are ongoing at a high level,” India’s ambassador to Moscow Pawan Kapoor said.

RIA Novosti, also referred to as RIAN or RIA is a Russian state-owned domestic news agency.

The Indian diplomat, however, did not give any other details, according to RIA Novosti.

Speaking at an event last week, Putin termed India as a “powerful country”, which it is growing stronger and stronger under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russia-based RT News reported.

“…India, more than 1.5 billion of population, more than 7 per cent of economic growth…that’s a powerful country, mighty country. And it’s growing stronger and stronger under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi…,” Putin said, according to a video shared by RT News.

The Russian President had not attended the September 9-10 G20 Summit in New Delhi and the country was represented by its foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.

The two leaders had last met on the sidelines of the 22nd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand in Uzbekistan in September 2022.

During the Samarkhand meeting PM Modi had urged Putin to put an end to Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine and stated “I know that today’s era is not the era for war.”