Putin dials Modi, gives full support to ‘fight against terror’

File picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
| Photo Credit: PTI

President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Monday (May 5, 2025) called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and “strongly condemned” the terror attack in Pahalgam. During the conversation, Prime Minister Modi invited President Putin to visit India for the 23^rd India-Russia annual summit that will be hosted here later this year and conveyed his greetings to Russia for the 80^th anniversary of the Victory Day to be celebrated in Moscow on 9 May. President Putin was among the first global leaders to condemn the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam of 22 April that left 26 dead and dozens injured and sought to deepen counter terror cooperation with India.

“President Putin called PM Modi and strongly condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam, India. He conveyed deepest condolences on the loss of innocent lives and expressed full support to India in the fight against terrorism. He emphasised that the perpetrators of the heinous attack and their supporters must be brought to justice,” said Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in a statement. A statement from the Russian side announced that President Putin described the terror attack as “barbaric” with both sides calling for “uncompromising fight against terrorism in all its manifestations”

“During the conversation the strategic nature of Russian-Indian relations as a special privileged partnership was emphasised. These relations are not subject to external influence and continue to develop dynamically in all areas,” declared a statement from Kremlin on the Putin-Modi conversation.

President Putin was among the first global leaders to condemn the deadly terror attack of 22 April and Russia has communicated that the two sides should intensify cooperation on counter-terror to deter such attacks in the future. “I would like to reiterate our commitment to further increasing cooperation with Indian partners in fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” President Putin had said in a message to PM Modi on 22 April.  

 “Both leaders reiterated their commitment to further deepen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. PM Conveyed greetings to President Putin on the celebration of the 80^th anniversary of Victory Day and invited him for the Annual Summit to be held in India later in the year,” said Mr Jaiswal in his statement about Monday’s telephone discussion.

Russia had invited Prime Minister Modi to participate in the Victory Day parade but India had subsequently designated Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to represent India at the parade that would be attended by several heads of states and governments including the Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, a statement from the Russian side informed that the 9 May ceremonies in Moscow will be attended by an “Indian representative”.

Mr Modi who had curtailed the visit to Saudi Arabia in the immediate backdrop of the terror strike in Pahalgam will however undertake a three-nation tour covering Croatia, Netherlands and Norway during 13 to 17 May. On Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had spoken on phone with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and urged for “settlement of disagreements between New Delhi and Islamabad by political and diplomatic means on a bilateral basis in accordance with the provisions of the Simla Agreement of 1972 and the Lahore Declaration of 1999.”

Earlier, on 27 March, Mr  Lavrov had announced that President Putin would be visiting India this year to participate in the annual India-Russia summit. Mr Lavrov had expressed satisfaction over India’s “balanced position on the Ukrainian crisis”.President Putin had previously visited India on 6 December 2021 when he had paid a day-long visit to New Delhi. Russia’s ‘special military operation’ against Ukraine began on 24 February 2022. Prime Minister Modi had visited Moscow during 8-9 July 2024 when the two sides held the 22^nd India-Russia Annual Summit. Mr Modi subsequently also visited Kazan, Russia to participate in the 16^th BRICS meeting in October 22-23, 2024.