Our goal is not to provoke conflict; rather, we aim to protect our lawful rights. India does the same: Putin

Referring to India’s purchases of Russian energy, Putin said the US itself buys nuclear fuel from Russia for its reactors. “If the US has the right to buy our fuel, why shouldn’t India have the same privilege? This question deserves thorough examination, and we stand ready to discuss it, including with President Trump,” he said.

The US pressure on India to stop buying Russian oil “involves employing political instruments to influence normal competition”, Putin said. However, Russia’s energy cooperation with India remains unaffected by “fleeting political swings or the tragic events in Ukraine”.

More than 90% of India-Russia transactions are conducted in national currencies and there are solutions whenever complications arise, Putin said. “We can switch to the existing systems for exchanging electronic messages on financial transactions of the Bank of Russia and of our partners in India. These efforts are ongoing and advancing.”

“Our company has been continuously expanding operations of this refinery, working with its partners…As a result, India has become one of the major refined product suppliers to Europe – not just because it buys our oil with a discount,” he said. “Certain actors clearly dislike India’s growing role in international markets owing to its ties with Russia. Consequently, they’re seeking means to constrain India’s influence for political reasons by imposing artificial obstacles.”

Asked how India and Russia should be handling Trump and the US administration, Putin said the US President has advisors who believe implementing tariff policies involving additional duties on trade partners, ultimately benefits the US economy. “Our experts believe there are risks involved, but it is the choice of each country and its leadership to decide which economic policy to adopt. We have never engaged in such practices,” he said. “We hope that, in the end, all violations of World Trade Organisation regulations will be rectified.”

Putin noted the world order is changing, with new centres of power emerging, making it “crucial to ensure stability among major nations” to facilitate progress in bilateral and international relations. Collaborative endeavours between Russia and India “carry significant weight because they transcend our mutual ties”, he said.

Ensuring stability in key areas of engagement is crucial as it helps the fulfilment of objectives, and Russia and India have a lot of practical areas of cooperation, he said. “The world would be watching my visit – there’s no big deal here. India is an enormous country, home to one-and-a-half billion people, boasting a growing economy with a 7% annual growth rate, leading among major global powers,” he added. “We’ve laid out an ambitious plan for our collaboration in key domains. The most critical areas are indeed forward-looking. I’m referring specifically to high technology,” Putin said, referring to space, nuclear power, shipbuilding, aviation, and artificial intelligence. India cannot be treated the way it was treated 77 years ago as it is a major global player, and Modi is “not someone who succumbs to pressure easily”, he said. “[Modi’s] stance is unwavering and straightforward, without being confrontational. Our goal is not to provoke conflict; rather, we aim to protect our lawful rights. India does the same,” he said.