In a recent development amidst rising global tensions, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin engaged in a "good and detailed conversation" over the phone. The discussion, held on Friday, August 8, 2025, centered on strengthening the "Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership" between India and Russia, as well as addressing the ongoing situation in Ukraine.
Prime Minister Modi initiated the call, during which he thanked President Putin for sharing updates on the Ukraine situation. Modi also reiterated India's consistent stance on resolving the conflict through peaceful means. According to an Indian readout of the conversation, Putin provided Modi with a detailed assessment of the latest developments in Ukraine. A statement from the Kremlin noted that Putin informed Modi about key outcomes of his meeting with the US President's special envoy, Steven Witkoff, in Moscow on Wednesday.
The two leaders reviewed the progress made on their bilateral agenda, reaffirming their commitment to further deepen the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Modi conveyed his anticipation of hosting Putin in India later this year for the 23rd India-Russia Summit. Dates for the visit are reportedly close to being finalized.
This conversation occurred against the backdrop of increasing pressure from the United States, with President Donald Trump imposing a 25% tariff on India for its continued purchases of Russian oil. This penalty is in addition to another 25% tariff that took effect on Thursday. Trump has been vocal about his disapproval of the trade and energy relations between India and Russia, urging New Delhi to reduce its imports of Russian oil.
Despite the US pressure, India has defended its energy purchases from Russia, criticizing the US and the European Union for singling out New Delhi while other countries buying Russian energy have not faced similar penalties. Russia has become one of India's largest energy suppliers, meeting 35% of its needs in the first half of 2025. Furthermore, nearly 60% of India's armed forces' inventory is of Russian origin.
The timing of the Modi-Putin call is also noteworthy as it followed National Security Advisor Ajit Doval's meeting with Putin and other senior Russian officials in Moscow. During the meeting, both sides reiterated their commitment to the bilateral strategic partnership. Doval emphasized the "very special role" of the strategic partnership amid global unpredictability and uncertainties. Sergey Shoigu, Doval's Russian counterpart, expressed Russia's desire to cooperate with India to ensure a "more just" world order and to jointly combat modern challenges and threats.
Analysts suggest that Trump's tariffs on India are pressure tactics aimed at securing a breakthrough in the Ukraine conflict, as well as gaining leverage for the US to negotiate a more favorable trade agreement with India. It remains to be seen how these developments will unfold and what impact they will have on the relationships between India, Russia, and the United States.
