Four-and-a-half years into the war between Russia and Ukraine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to move from "endless war" to "end of war". Modi has raised the issue with Putin earlier too.

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"This is not the era of war," he told Putin in September 2022.

Then, in a meeting with Putin in Moscow in July 2024, Modi said that "peace talks do not succeed amid bombs, guns and bullets", and a "solution (to any conflict) cannot be found on the battlefield".

Bilateral Meeting in Bishkek

In his televised opening remarks at the start of the bilateral meeting in Bishkek on Monday, Modi told Putin:

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"We have been discussing the Ukraine issue. When we met previously, you briefed me in detail on all aspects of the matter. As you know, India supports all efforts towards peace, and will continue to do so."

Modi emphasized the importance of peace, stating:

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"Every day of war sets humanity back, whereas every step taken towards peace fills humanity with new hope and enthusiasm. We must move away from endless war towards an end to the war. This is crucial for the well-being of humanity. A peaceful resolution to all issues at the earliest is the call of humanity, and this is India’s message. The land of Gandhi and Buddha shares a single message: the path of peace."

Strengthening India-Russia Relations

Modi noted that Putin’s visit to India in December last year was "highly successful and truly memorable". He expressed satisfaction that cooperation between the two nations continues to scale new heights.

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"Focusing on national interest as the paramount priority has been our shared approach, and this will remain our guiding principle in the future as well," Modi said, hinting at India buying Russian energy over the last four-and-a-half years of the war to cushion the inflationary impact on Indians.

Putin, on his part, stated that relations between the two countries "continue to strengthen on the principles of a special and privileged strategic partnership". Addressing Modi, he said:

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"This is undoubtedly facilitated by your personal attention to the development of Russia-India relations, as well as by the close personal friendship that has developed between us, for which I am very grateful to you."

Economic Cooperation

Flagging economic ties, Putin mentioned that trade and economic cooperation is showing positive trends overall.