Putin Defends India’s Russian Oil Trade, Praises PM Modi as “Balanced and Wise”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has strongly criticised US attempts to pressure India into ending its Russian crude imports, declaring that New Delhi will never bow to such demands or allow itself to be humiliated. Speaking at the plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, Putin described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “balanced and wise leader” and underscored the “special” relationship between Moscow and New Delhi.

Putin said India’s decision to buy Russian oil is based purely on economic logic. “If India refuses our energy supplies, it will suffer certain losses — estimated around $9–10 billion. If it continues, sanctions will be imposed and the loss will be the same. So why refuse if it also carries domestic political costs?” he asked.

The Russian leader asserted that the Indian people will never tolerate humiliation and that PM Modi would not compromise India’s sovereignty. “The losses from US tariffs would be balanced by crude imports from Russia, and India would gain prestige as a sovereign nation,” he added.

Putin’s comments come just two weeks after US President Donald Trump, in his UN General Assembly address, labelled China and India as “primary funders” of the Ukraine war, accusing them of financing it through Russian oil purchases. In August, the US slapped an additional 25% tariff on Indian exports, doubling the total tax burden to 50% as punishment for the crude trade.

Putin warned that such tariff hikes could raise global prices and force the US Federal Reserve to maintain high interest rates.

Highlighting the depth of Russia-India ties, Putin said the bond goes back to Soviet-era support for India’s independence struggle. “In India, they remember this, they know it, and they value it. We have never had problems or interstate tensions with India. Never,” he said.

Calling PM Modi his friend, Putin noted that he felt comfortable in their “trustworthy interactions”. He hailed Modi as a “balanced, wise, and nationally oriented” leader.

Acknowledging the trade imbalance between the two countries, Putin said Russia was ready to import more Indian agricultural products and pharmaceuticals. “We need to solve financing, logistics, and payment bottlenecks to unlock opportunities,” he said.

He also recalled that the special strategic privileged partnership between Russia and India will soon mark its 15th anniversary, remarking, “That’s what it really is.” Putin added that Moscow and New Delhi “almost always coordinate their actions” in political matters.