India-Russia ‘dosti’ in Bishkek: Focus on end of Ukraine war, balanced trade

BISHKEK: The India-Russia friendship shone anew on a sunny afternoon in the Kyrgyz capital as Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugged Russian President Vladimir Putin and held talks to intensify economic and energy ties with India’s all-weather strategic partner.

The 40-minute talks, followed by a car ride together to watch the iconic World Nomad Games in Bishkek Arena, covered a gamut of issues, including the conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region.

Reviewing the burgeoning trade, which has surged to around $70 billion on the back of massive energy imports from Russia, PM Modi highlighted growing trade deficit, estimated to have surpassed $50 billion, and sought Putin’s support to increase Indian exports to Russia in several areas. During the annual summit in December 2025, PM Modi had shared with President Putin a paper that detailed some market access related issues that Indian products still faced in Russia and some non-tariff barriers.

“With the cooperation of our Russian friends we’ve had significant progress on that front and market access has improved significantly in several areas of interest, including meat exports, marine products exports, dairy exports as well some dairy products also,” said India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in a briefing at Hotel Orion, home to PM Modi during his stay in Bishkek. Mr Misri stressed that increasing the market access in these areas and diversifying the trade basket is being pursued vigorously by both sides. Building on the success of a Russian Importers Forum, last year, the two sides are looking to organise an Indian Exporters Forum at the next annual summit which will take place in Russia.

From Endless War to End of War

Besides economic and energy ties, the two leaders also reviewed developments in the region, including the long-dragging Russia-Ukraine war, with PM Modi stressing on the importance of resolving the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.

“We have to move from a situation of ‘endless war’ to ‘end of war’… It is humanity’s wish that the end of this war happens soonest,” PM Modi said during a joint statement with the Russian President Vladimir Putin. “We keep discussing the matter of Ukraine and the last time we met too, you had explained the situation to me in great detail.”

“As you know, India supports all peaceful methods (to resolve the impasse),” he said. “India advocates for resolving problems peacefully, which is necessary for all of humanity,” he added.

PM Modi’s latest message harked back to his much-quoted remarks during his meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand. “India is an advocate of permanent peace in this region. Our stand is very clear – this is not an era of war. This is the time to come together against those challenges which threaten humanity. Therefore, India believes in diplomacy and dialogues,” PM Modi had said in 2022.

President Putin lauded PM Modi’s personal investment in scaling up India-Russia relations. “I would also like to note with satisfaction that the Russia-India relations continue to develop as a specially privileged strategic partnership. This, esteemed Prime Minister, is due in no small measure to the attention you personally devote to strengthening our bilateral ties, as well as to our business relations,” said Mr Putin.

The Modi-Putin meeting in Bishkek has set a positive tone for the Russian leader’s visit to New Delhi for the BRICS summit on September 12-13, 2026. In 2027, India and Russia will celebrate the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations.