Speaking to reporters in St Petersburg, Putin said India’s expanding partnership with the United States has not affected its long-standing relationship with Russia.
He said Washington has been trying to pressure India, including over its cooperation with Moscow, but asserted that such efforts would not succeed.
“US trying to pressure India including over cooperation with Russia; but it will resist such efforts,” Putin said, according to PTI.
Putin also said Russia would continue to deepen ties with India despite geopolitical tensions surrounding Moscow’s global engagements.
“We will continue to develop our ties with India,” he said.
The Russian President praised India’s economic trajectory, describing it as one of the world’s leading economies.“India is among world’s major economies and is currently demonstrating an impressive rate of economic growth,” Putin said.
Against that backdrop, Putin said economic engagement between the two countries is expected to expand sharply in the years ahead.
“I am confident that Russia and India will reach USD 100 billion in bilateral trade in the coming years,” he said.
India has continued to maintain ties with both Russia and the United States despite growing geopolitical polarisation following the Ukraine conflict, while significantly expanding energy and trade engagement with Moscow in recent years.