Russian, Indian Leaders Discuss Bilateral Ties, Situation In Global Food Market

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday spoke over the phone with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed bilateral relations and the situation in the global food market, a Kremlin statement said.

"Vladimir Putin and Narendra Modi voiced their mutual commitment to strengthening the specially privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India," the statement said, adding that they expressed satisfaction over a "substantial increase" in bilateral trade volume.

At Modi's request, it said, Putin gave an update on the key aspects of Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine, stressing the "dangerous and provocative nature of the approach of the Kiev regime and its Western patrons to escalate the crisis and torpedo efforts to resolve it by political and diplomatic methods."

Reviewing the situation at the global market, Putin drew attention to "systemic mistakes by a number of countries that disrupted the entire system of free trade in foodstuffs and provoked substantial price hikes," the statement said.

"The illegitimate anti-Russia sanctions have compounded the already complicated situation. The very same factors have also impacted the global energy market," it added. -