Putin-Modi Meet In New Delhi Amid US Pressure

JAKARTA Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday in a meeting aimed at expanding defense and trade ties.

While the United States urges New Delhi to revise its decades-long partnership with Moscow.

The 23rd Russia-India summit came at an important moment when the United States pushed for a peace deal in Ukraine while working on global cooperation.

The meeting will test New Delhi's efforts to balance relations with Moscow and Washington amid the ongoing war in Ukraine that has lasted nearly four years.

Putin was greeted by Modi at the airport in New Delhi on Thursday. Modi tightly hugged the visiting leader with great enthusiasm like an old friend.

According to Indian officials involved in preparations for the summit, its agenda includes talks on defense, energy, and labor mobility.

While India has historically had close ties to Russia, critics say Putin's visit could worsen relations with the European Union and the United States and may jeopardize negotiations on major trade agreements with both deemed important to Indian exports.

US President Donald Trump raised India's goods tariff to 50% in August, citing Russian oil prices on New Delhi. India has become the second-largest importer of Russian crude oil after China.

The US said Russian oil purchases helped finance Moscow's war engines. In October, the US imposed sanctions on Moscow's two largest oil producers to force countries such as India to reduce imports.

Indian officials say New Delhi has always complied with international sanctions and will comply with them in cases of buying Russian oil.

India and the US set targets for the first phase of the trade deal in the fall, but the deal has not been reached amid tensions over relations.

India is also in the final stages of negotiating trade agreements with the European Union, which views Russia's war in Ukraine as a major threat.