Russian President Vladimir Putin said he expects to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, next week. Putin made the remarks during a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the Kremlin on Monday, where the two sides also discussed the growth of economic ties and trade cooperation between Russia and India. Putin asked Jaishankar to convey his greetings to Modi and said he hoped to meet the Indian prime minister in the near future.

Referring to the SCO summit, he said the schedule would likely allow the two leaders to meet again this year. The comments indicate that preparations are already underway for another high-level interaction between the Russian and Indian leadership. The SCO summit is scheduled to take place in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek from August 31 to September 1. The meeting will bring together leaders of the organisation's member states to discuss regional cooperation and issues of mutual interest.

A meeting between Putin and Modi on the sidelines of the summit would provide another opportunity for the two leaders to discuss bilateral ties and broader international developments. During his conversation with Jaishankar, Putin also highlighted the recovery in trade between Russia and India after a decline in bilateral trade turnover during the previous year. He pointed to the improvement as an indication of the continued strength of economic cooperation between the two countries and called for further efforts to expand trade ties.

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Jaishankar also emphasised the growth of economic cooperation between India and Russia during the meeting. He said Modi was looking forward to meeting Putin at the SCO summit and also expressed the expectation that the Russian president would attend the upcoming BRICS summit in New Delhi. The exchange underlined the importance both governments continue to attach to high-level engagement. The 18th BRICS summit is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on September 12 and 13.

The grouping includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, along with Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Putin's possible participation would give Modi and the Russian president another opportunity to meet shortly after the SCO summit. The expected meetings come as India and Russia continue to maintain close diplomatic and economic relations despite shifts in the wider geopolitical environment. Energy, trade and other areas of economic cooperation have remained important components of the bilateral relationship.

The SCO and BRICS gatherings could therefore provide platforms for the two leaders to review existing cooperation, discuss new economic opportunities and exchange views on regional and global issues. Putin's remarks in Moscow suggest that the Russian president expects his engagement with Modi to continue through multiple multilateral forums in the coming weeks. With the SCO summit in Bishkek followed shortly afterward by the BRICS meeting in New Delhi, the two leaders could have more than one opportunity for direct discussions as India and Russia seek to further strengthen their longstanding partnership.

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