'Every Day Of War Sets Humanity Back': PM Modi Tells Russia's Putin On SCO Summit Sidelines

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan.

During their meeting, the prime minister reiterated India's support for the peaceful resolution of the war. PM Modi stressed, "Every day of the war sets humanity back," while stressing a need to end hostilities.

PM Modi told Putin that India backed every peace effort to end the war in Ukraine, according to the Interfax news agency report.

PM Modi also extended an invitation to Putin and the Russian delegation for the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, to be held on September 12-13.

"India is hosting the BRICS Summit in a few days, and all Indians are eager to welcome you and your delegation. Your visit will strengthen our bilateral relations and further reinforce dialogue and cooperation within the BRICS framework," the PM said.

What did Vladimir Putin say? 

President Putin spoke about the enhanced cultural exchanges and the rise in the number of Indian students in Russia.

"India is among the top countries in terms of the number of students studying in Russia. In recent years, this figure has grown sevenfold and now amounts to 40,000 students. We regularly hold cultural festivals of India and Russia. We also have active mutual tourist flows, which have seen 16 per cent growth," President Putin said.

"We closely coordinate our efforts at the United Nations, BRICS, the G20, and the SCO. Today, we have a good chance to compare our notes and outline future cooperation when it comes to the development of Russian-Indian relations," he added.