Russia India’s all-weather friend; ties always warm: PM Modi in Moscow

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (July 9) described Russia as India’s “all-weather friend” and hailed President Vladimir Putin’s leadership in strengthening the bilateral relationship over the past two decades.

The Prime Minister’s praise for Putin, during an address to the Indian diaspora in Moscow, came amid attempts by Western powers to isolate the Russian leader over the war in Ukraine.

“On hearing the word Russia, the first word that comes to mind of every Indian is India’s all-weather friend (sukh-dukh ka saathi) and a trusted ally,” Modi said.

“India-Russia friendship full of warmth”

“No matter how low the temperature dips below minus during Russian winter, India-Russia friendship has always remained in ‘plus’, it is full of warmth. This relationship is built on the strong foundation of mutual trust and mutual respect,” the Prime Minister said.

Modi said he had a special appreciation for “his friend” President Putin for steering India-Russia friendship to greater heights over the last two decades.

The Prime Minister said for a long time the world had seen an “influence-oriented global order”.

“But, what the world needs right now is confluence not influence and no one can deliver this message better than India which has a strong tradition of worshipping confluences,” Modi said.

“India is changing”

Modi said India is currently undergoing a transformation, and the pace of development over the past 10 years has taken the world by surprise.

He added that India was changing, as it believes in the strength of its 140 crore citizens who are now dreaming of turning their resolve of “Viksit Bharat” into reality.

“Biggest capital”

“Today’s India is full of self-confidence, unlike the situation before 2014, and this is our biggest capital,” Modi said.

“When people like you bless us, even the biggest goals can be achieved. You all know that today’s India achieves whatever goal it sets its mind to,” the prime minister said.

Challenging the challenges

The Prime Minister said it was in his DNA to challenge all the challenges and India will write a new chapter of global growth in coming years.

Modi said it was exactly a month ago that he took oath as prime minister for the third consecutive term when he had made the resolve to work at thrice the strength and speed to fulfil the aspirations of the country.

The power of three

“Our government envisions making India the world’s third-largest economy, build three crore homes for the poor and turn three crore poor women in villages to ‘lakhpati didis’,” the Prime Minister said amid chants of “Modi, Modi” and “Modi hai toh mumkin hai”.

“In several goals of the government, the number three has assumed significance,” he said.

“Just a trailer”

He said India was the country which sent Chandrayaan to a place on the Moon where no country has gone before and has given the work the most reliable model for digital transactions.

“India’s development of the past 10 years was just a trailer; we will see much faster growth in the next 10 years,” Modi said.

(With agency inputs)