Prez Putin extends birthday wishes to PM Modi; lauds his contribution to strengthening India-Russia ties

Moscow, Sep 17 (IANS) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday extended wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 76th birthday and lauded his contribution to strengthening the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two nations.

The Russian Embassy in India shared President Putin's message for PM Modi on Instagram.

In the message, President Putin expressed gratitude to PM Modi for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to him during his recent visit to New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit.

"Russia’s President Vladimir Putin sent a message to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly congratulating him on his birthday (September 17, 2026). The message reads, in part: 'You are rightly enjoying a deep respect from your compatriots and great authority on the global stage.

It is impossible to overstate your personal contribution to strengthening the special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia," the Russian Embassy in India posted on Instagram.

According to the statement, President Putin described his recent talks with PM Modi as "substantive, frank and productive" and said he is ready to continue cooperation between the two nations on bilateral and international issues.

"I would like to express my gratitude for the warm and cordial welcome and hospitality extended to me and the Russian delegation during my visit to New Delhi last week.

The talks we held were undoubtedly substantive, frank, and productive. As always, it was a genuine pleasure to talk with you, and our discussions once again demonstrated your extraordinary political wisdom and foresight. We will, of course, continue our constructive cooperation on pressing bilateral and international issues for the benefit of our friendly nations," the Russian Embassy quoted President Putin as mentioning in the message.

President Putin's warm message for PM Modi comes after his recent visit to India for the 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi on September 12-13.

During his visit, President Putin attended the two-day BRICS Summit and joined BRICS leaders in a tree plantation initiative. He also attended a dinner hosted by PM Modi for the visiting leaders at the Bharat Mandapam.

President Putin held a meeting with PM Modi at Bharat Mandapam, where they discussed bilateral cooperation in key sectors and also the ongoing conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region.

The two leaders also travelled in the same car to visit the INNOPROM Exhibition, immediately after ending their bilateral discussions at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

The exhibition had been organised by the two countries’ ministries of industry and trade.

Both leaders had showcased the same bonhomie in Kyrgyzstan on August 31 when they travelled in the same car to the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games after their bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek.

Last year too, PM Modi and President Putin, had travelled in the same car to the venue of the bilateral meeting in China's Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Leaders' Summit.

--IANS

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