PM Modi holds bilateral talks with Putin on sidelines of BRICS summit

New Delhi/Johannesburg: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27 held bilateral talks with President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, and said the friendship between India and Russia is deep-rooted.

Modi was meeting Putin after their informal meeting in May in the Black Sea coastal city of Sochi in Russia in May. The two leaders then met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Qingdao, China, in June.

"Wide-ranging and productive talks with President Putin. India's friendship with Russia is deep-rooted and our countries will continue working together in multiple sectors. @KremlinRussia," Prime Minister Modi said in a tweet.

The two leaders had a comprehensive discussion on bilateral issues of mutual interest, especially in trade, investment, energy, defence and tourism, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet later. The Modi-Putin meeting got over at midnight local time, he said.

During their meeting in Sochi in May, India and Russia elevated their strategic partnership to a "special privileged strategic partnership".

Modi arrived in Johannesburg on Wednesday to attend the two-day BRICS Summit. The theme of the summit is 'BRICS in Africa'.

BRICS is a grouping of emerging nations formed in 2009 and comprises five countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Representing over 40 per cent of the world's population, the block's growth rates surpass those of the developed countries of the G7.