‘He is a great friend’: Putin invites PM Modi for talks on sidelines of BRICS summit | India News

NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a separate bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of BRICS Summit in Russia next month.
During a one-on-one meeting with National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, Putin conveyed his proposal and extended warm regards to PM Modi, referring to him as “a great friend of ours.”
“I propose holding a 2nd meet on October 22.Please, send Mr. Modi our warm regards and best wishes—he is a great friend of ours,” Putin told Doval.
At PM Modi’s request, NSA Doval briefed Putin on the Prime Minister’s meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy during his visit to Kyiv.
“PM Modi wanted me to come specially Russia and brief you about his visit to Ukraine and his meeting with President Zelenskyy. I attended the meeting too,” Doval told Putin.
Doval also attended the BRICS National Security Advisers meeting in St Petersburg, Russia, on Wednesday, where he spoke on modern security challenges, including ICT-related issues and terrorism, and the need to address them through joint efforts within the BRICS framework.
In a post on X, Indian Embassy in Russia stated, “NSA Shri Ajit Doval is participating in the BRICS NSAs meeting in Saint Petersburg, Russia. During the sessions in the first half of the day, he spoke on modern security challenges, including ICT ( information and communication technology) related issues and terrorism, and the need to address them through joint efforts within the BRICS framework.”
Russia holds the BRICS chairmanship for 2024, and the group has recently expanded its membership to include Egypt, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia. NSA Doval had previously participated in the 13th BRICS NSA meeting in Johannesburg in July 2023.
In July, PM Modi visited Moscow, where he conveyed to Putin that the conflict in Ukraine could not be resolved on the battlefield. He followed this up with a visit to Kyiv last month, reiterating India’s willingness to contribute in all possible ways to facilitate an early return to peace. Upon his return, Modi spoke to Putin and expressed India’s readiness to actively support any political or diplomatic settlement.
President Putin acknowledged that he was in constant touch with India, China, and Brazil regarding the Ukraine war, and these countries could play a key role in resolving the conflict.