OddsFrontModi tells Putin that diplomacy should guide efforts to end the Ukraine war
The New Delhi bilateral meeting moves beyond Putin's summit arrival and tests India's attempt to retain close Russian ties while presenting itself as a peace interlocutor.
A new bilateral meeting in New Delhi
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi on September 11 and again argued that dialogue and diplomacy should be the route for resolving conflicts. The Kyiv Independent reported that India's Foreign Ministry described their talks as wide-ranging and covering trade, energy and defence. The meeting took place one day before a two-day BRICS summit, making it a distinct diplomatic action rather than another report of Putin's arrival.
According to the Ukrainian outlet, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the discussion included Ukraine and Russia's recent contacts with United States negotiators. That claim is attributed to the Russian side and was not independently confirmed by the allowed primary source used here. Modi's public emphasis was broader: India was prepared to assist peace efforts while continuing its established policy of engagement with both Moscow and Kyiv.
India's balancing strategy
India has not joined Western sanctions against Russia and has become an important buyer of Russian fossil fuels. At the same time, it has maintained diplomatic contact with Ukraine and repeatedly presented negotiation as the preferred means of ending the war. The New Delhi conversation was Modi and Putin's second meeting in less than two weeks, following their encounter at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek on August 31.
Ukraine's presidency provides important context for India's role. On September 3, President Volodymyr Zelensky met Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in what Kyiv described as the first standalone visit by an Indian foreign minister in the history of bilateral relations. The official account said they discussed peace efforts, security and bilateral cooperation. That engagement shows India is keeping channels open to both belligerents rather than acting solely through its relationship with Moscow.
What to watch at BRICS
The significance of Modi's message will depend on whether it produces specific diplomatic follow-up. The BRICS gathering brings leaders from states with sharply different positions on both Ukraine and the wider Middle East conflicts. India may seek language supporting negotiation without directly condemning Russia, while Moscow will try to demonstrate that it remains internationally connected. Any announced mediation, exchange of proposals or subsequent Modi-Zelensky contact would indicate whether the bilateral discussion moved beyond familiar formulations.