Prime Minister Modi announced that India will open new consulates in Kazan and Yekaterinburg to facilitate trade and travel, expanding India’s consular presence in Russia to four cities, including St. Petersburg and Vladivostok. Speaking at an interaction with the Indian diaspora in Moscow, Modi emphasized the enduring and unique relationship between India and Russia, which has only grown stronger over the decades.
Ahead of a summit with President Vladimir Putin, Modi highlighted India’s role as a “vishwabandhu” (friend of the world), noting that the global community listens when India speaks about peace, dialogue, and diplomacy. Without directly mentioning the conflict in Ukraine, he praised the hard work and contributions of the Indian diaspora in Russia, which have elevated bilateral ties.
Modi described Russia as India’s “companion in happiness and sorrow,” calling Russia a reliable friend. “Russians call it ‘druzhba,’ we call it ‘dosti’ in Hindi,” he said, noting that India-Russia relations have always remained warm, regardless of external conditions, due to mutual trust and respect.
He praised Putin’s leadership in strengthening the friendship between India and Russia over more than two decades. This was Modi’s sixth visit to Russia in a decade, during which he has met Putin 17 times. “All the meetings increased trust and respect,” he said. Modi expressed gratitude to Putin for helping evacuate Indian students during the Ukraine conflict.
Modi referenced the song “Sar pe lal topi Russi, phir bhi dil hai Hindustani” from Raj Kapoor’s film ‘Shree 420’ to illustrate the enduring bond between the two nations. He also highlighted the historical India House in Astrakhan and emphasized new connectivity initiatives like the International North-South Trade Corridor and the Chennai-Vladivostok maritime corridor. The Ganga-Volga dialogue of civilizations, he said, is helping India and Russia rediscover each other.
He asserted that the 21st century is poised to be India’s century, with growing global confidence in India’s capabilities leading to expectations of stability and prosperity. India is seen as a strong pillar in the emerging multipolar world order and is among the first to respond to global crises. “India will leave no stone unturned to achieve the world’s expectations,” Modi said.
Modi emphasized the need for confluence, not influence, in today’s world, and highlighted various achievements of his government, such as the Chandrayaan mission, the development of a reliable digital transaction model, and building the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem.
The event in Moscow marked exactly one month since Modi began his third term as prime minister. He reiterated his commitment to work with three times the strength and speed, aiming to make India the third-largest economy, build 30 million houses for the poor, and empower 30 million women in rural areas through self-help groups.
