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Weeks before his visit to India in early December for an annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said he was looking forward to meeting his “dear friend.””I am looking forward to my trip in early December. And I highly await my meeting with my dear friend, with our trustworthy partner with Prime Minister Modi,” Putin said.He made the remarks at the international Valdai discussion forum, attended by security and geopolitical experts from 140 countries, including India, at the Black Sea resort of Sochi in southern Russia late Thursday evening.Speaking about India-Russia relations, Putin said, “Our relations with India are of special nature ever since the Soviet Union and since the days where the Indian people fought for their independence. India knows, remembers, appreciates that. And we appreciate the fact that India never forgets that. And so our relations are developing.” The Russian president also noted, “I believe we will celebrate 15 years since our announcement of the specialized strategic privileged partnership. And India and Russia never had any issues of interstate nature, any differences.”Lauding PM Modi, Putin added, “Prime Minister Modi is a very reasonable, wise leader. He’s very oriented in the interests of his nation and everyone in India knows that. So now our priority is to build effective, mutually beneficial trade ties. And we also have very trustworthy relations in the security area. Joint production of very modern perspective, types of arms which once again underscores the kind of trust that’s been built between our countries.”Putin also warned the United States against pressuring India to stop buying Russian oil, saying New Delhi would never allow itself to be humiliated.”Will India give up our energy resources? If so, it will incur certain losses. Estimates vary; some say it could be around $9-10 billion. But if it doesn’t refuse, sanctions will be imposed, and the loss will be the same. So why refuse if it also carries domestic political costs? [Indian people] will never allow themselves to be humiliated by anyone. I know Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi, he will also not make any such decisions,” he said, as quoted by ANI.Putin added, “The losses faced by India due to punitive US tariffs would be balanced by crude imports from Russia, plus it will gain prestige as a sovereign nation,” as cited by PTI.
