New Delhi : A bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled for late Monday evening in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

Energy and fertilizer supplies will be the key agenda items during this meeting, which is taking place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

The two leaders will meet face-to-face for the first time since the annual summit held in December 2025. They are also scheduled to meet again in New Delhi on September 12, 2026, during the BRICS summit.

The Ministry of External Affairs has already stated that the leaders will conduct a comprehensive review of the India-Russia ‘Privileged Strategic Partnership.’ The Kremlin has described the meeting as a discussion covering several significant issues.

Detailed discussions between Modi and Putin are also expected to continue during the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12–13.

This meeting between Modi and Putin is taking place against the backdrop of sweeping US sanctions imposed on all nations trading with Russia. Meanwhile, relations between India and the US are not entirely smooth across several issues.

India has made it clear that securing oil and fertilizer supplies from Russia is a priority, given the crisis in West Asia and uncertainties surrounding global supply chains. Russia is currently one of India’s major crude oil suppliers.

During External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s recent visit to Moscow, President Putin assured the uninterrupted supply of fuel and fertilizers. Monday’s meeting is likely to focus on long-term contracts, payment mechanisms, and addressing the trade imbalance.

At present, the only concern regarding India’s ties with Russia is the bilateral trade imbalance. While trade between the two nations has grown, Russian energy exports account for a significant portion of this volume. India wants Russia to further open its market to Indian pharmaceutical, IT, agricultural, and consumer products.

Both nations have set a target to increase bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030. Experts suggest that defense deliveries will also feature prominently on the agenda during the meeting between Modi and Putin.

Discussions may cover the delivery of the remaining S-400 air defense systems, the stockpiling of additional missiles, and the establishment of maintenance and repair facilities in India. Talks regarding co-production and the indigenization of spare parts are also likely to be reviewed.

Amid the possibility of the US tightening sanctions, the two leaders will also discuss making the bilateral payment mechanism more robust and secure.

The objective is to identify practical measures to sustain trade despite the sanctions. Both sides view nuclear energy, fertilizer plants, and high-tech cooperation as future pillars of their partnership; Putin recently highlighted the progress made in these very sectors.

Report – Abhijit Tushar Bhatt (Political Editor)