Russia's President Vladimir Putin had a meeting in St Petersburg on Thursday with India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in what was widely reported to be another move by New Delhi towards mediating an end to the war in Ukraine.
The meeting follows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv last month, where he said India was ready to play an "active role" in restoring peace.
“He was keen to brief you about his visit to Ukraine and his meeting with President Zelenskyy," Mr Doval is seen telling Mr Putin in a video clip of their meeting posted on X. "He wanted me to come especially and personally to brief you about the talks. The conversation was in a very close format – only the two leaders. I attended the conversation.”
Mr Doval was in St Petersburg to attend a meeting of Brics national security advisers. Brics is an alliance of emerging economies that initially comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, which together account for about 40 per cent of the world’s population and 25 per cent of its gross domestic product. Membership was extended to Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates at its annual summit last year. This year's meeting will be held in the Russian city of Kazan from October 22-24.
Mr Putin told Mr Doval that he would like to hold talks with Mr Modi on the sidelines of the summit, Russian officials said. "We are waiting for our good friend Modi and best regards to him," the Russian media quoted Mr Putin as telling Mr Doval.
It would be the second time the two leaders have met this year after Mr Modi's two-day visit to Moscow in July at Mr Putin's invitation, during which India and Russia signed nine agreements in areas including trade, climate and research. Mr Putin said the upcoming meeting would "summarise the outcomes of joint work on the implementation of the agreements reached during Mr Modi’s visit to Moscow to outline prospects for the near future", the Russian Embassy said in a statement released on Telegram.
Mr Modi's government has refrained from criticising Russia's invasion of Ukraine in an effort to maintain relations with Moscow, which is a major supplier of oil and arms to India. New Delhi also sees Russia as a counterweight to rising Chinese power in Asia.
Mr Putin said earlier this month that India, Brazil and China could be potential mediators in peace talks with Ukraine. Mr Modi and Mr Zelenskyy will be in New York for the UN General Assembly this month.
Mr Doval also met China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussed military disengagement to resolve the border dispute that has strained the relationship between the nuclear-armed nations.
