Putin Praises India-Russia Partnership, Dismisses External Pressure Amid Growing Ties
Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed India as a reliable partner, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and India's independent foreign policy amid growing India-US ties. Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin dismissed external pressure on India over its cooperation with Russia as futile and harmful to international relations. He expressed confidence that bilateral trade could reach $100 billion, highlighted ongoing defence and energy collaborations, and emphasized Russia's non-interference stance on India-China border issues, underscoring decades of trust-based India-Russia relations.