Putin says India acting independently; backs India’s case in UNSC

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that the Indian leadership was "acting independently in the interest of the nation" and backed India for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

While speaking at the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi, Putin said, "They (the West) are trying to create an enemy out of everyone who is unwilling to blindly follow the western elites. Anyone is at risk, including the People's Republic of China, and at a certain point, India could become that. The Indian leadership is acting independently in the interest of its nation."

On Wednesday he lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and described him a “very wise man” and pointed out that India is making great strides in development under his leadership.


Putin also expressed hope for further cooperation between Russia and India in the field of financial security and the fight against cybercrime.

During an event on Wednesday Putin said, “We share very good political relations with Prime Minister Modi, he is a very wise man. And India has been making very great strides in development under his leadership. This fully meets the interest of both India and Russia to work on this agenda”.

Last month, too, Putin had praised Modi stating he was doing the “right thing” in promoting the Make in India programme.

In an address at the 8th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Putin said, “You know, we did not have domestically made cars then, but we do now. It is true that they look more modest than Mercedes or Audi cars, which we bought in vast amounts in the 1990s, but this is not an issue. I think that we should emulate many of our partners, for example, India.”

“They are focused on the manufacture and use of Indian-made vehicles. I think that Prime Minister Modi is doing the right thing in promoting the Make in India programme. He is right,” Putin had then stated.