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India’s Modi talks tigers, arms deals and ‘close’ friendships with Russia’s Putin at Far East forum
- Russia’s president is also set to be joined by the prime ministers of Japan, Malaysia and Mongolia at the three-day economic summit
- India is a key client for Russia’s arms industry and Moscow will be looking to make progress on new deals during the talks
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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised his “close friend” President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday as the pair said they would work to boost military, trade and energy ties.
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The leaders met on the first day of Russia’s economic forum in the Pacific coast city of Vladivostok, an annual event since 2015 as Moscow looks to bolster relations with Asia amid tensions with the West.
“I’m very grateful to my close friend Vladimir Putin for this opportunity,” Modi said at a press conference following talks and a tour of a naval shipyard.
“We have reached a new stage in collaboration,” he said, adding that the pair discussed “unprecedented” mutual investment in oil and gas industries.
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A joint statement called for cooperation in military and technological spheres, with the possibility of creating joint ventures in India to develop and manufacture civilian aircraft.
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