Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday that India “is not neutral” but firmly “on the side of peace” in the Ukraine war, echoing the position he conveyed to Donald Trump earlier this year.

In their high-profile bilateral meeting in New Delhi, Modi hailed Putin as a “visionary leader” and stressed that “this is an era of peace,” expressing confidence that recent global efforts would steer the world back toward stability.

In his televised opening remarks at the summit, Modi said the conflict should come to an end through dialogue and diplomacy.

On his part, Putin said Russia is working on a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, on a two-day state visit to India, was accorded a tri-services guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday morning in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan were among the dignitaries present.

Putin arrived in New Delhi on Thursday, where Modi received him at the airport with a warm embrace and a firm handshake, underscoring the personal rapport between the two leaders. The Russian President also visited Raj Ghat to pay homage at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial before heading to Hyderabad House for talks.

The day’s key engagement is the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit, during which Modi and Putin will explore ways to deepen economic and strategic cooperation, with a particular focus on defence, energy and skilled-labour mobility. A joint press statement outlining agreements and shared priorities will follow their discussions.

Both leaders will then interact with top Indian and Russian business executives, after which President Murmu will host a state banquet in honour of the Russian leader before his departure.

Putin is accompanied by Defence Minister Andrei Belousov and a heavyweight delegation from Russia’s business and industrial sectors, including leaders from state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and heads of sanctioned oil firms Rosneft and Gazprom Neft.