On Monday, August 18, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin contacted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide a briefing on his recent summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska. The call, which was initiated by Putin, aimed to share insights from the meeting, which focused on finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
Prime Minister Modi acknowledged the call and expressed India's consistent support for resolving the Ukraine conflict through diplomacy and dialogue. He reiterated India's commitment to peaceful solutions and expressed his appreciation to President Putin for sharing details of the Alaska summit. Modi also conveyed his anticipation for continued discussions with the Russian leader in the future.
According to a statement from the Indian government, Modi emphasized India's firm stance on resolving the conflict through diplomatic means. Both leaders addressed several aspects of their countries' bilateral cooperation, with the goal of further solidifying the special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia, and they agreed to maintain close communication.
The call between Putin and Modi occurred against a backdrop of strained relations between India and the U.S., fueled by the Trump administration's disapproval of India's continued imports of Russian energy. The U.S. has criticized these purchases, arguing that they are helping to finance Russia's war efforts in Ukraine. As a result, the U.S. has imposed tariffs on India. Peter Navarro, a former White House counselor for trade and manufacturing, has described India's reliance on Russian crude oil as "opportunistic and deeply corrosive" to global efforts to isolate Russia's economy.
This was the second phone conversation between Modi and Putin in the past ten days, with the prior call taking place on August 8. During that earlier call, the two leaders reinforced their commitment to the bilateral relationship and pledged to strengthen their strategic ties. This conversation followed a meeting in Moscow between India's National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, and Putin, where both parties reaffirmed their dedication to the strategic partnership between their nations.
Russia is a major supplier of energy to India, accounting for 35% of its needs in the first half of 2025. Furthermore, Russia supplies approximately 60% of the inventory of India's armed forces.
Prior to contacting Modi, Putin also shared details of the Alaska summit with other leaders, including those of Brazil, South Africa, Belarus, and several Central Asian republics. These discussions reflect Russia's effort to keep its allies informed and to foster support for its diplomatic endeavors related to the Ukraine conflict.