New Delhi

Months after the informal summit at Sochi in May, Prime Minister Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday concluded the 19th annual strategic dialogue in Delhi.

The two leaders focused on the “unique” relationship, with PM Modi driving home the message that there is no drift in ties between Moscow and Delhi, even as India and US enhanced their strategic and defence cooperation.

India and Russia inked eight pacts in areas of railways, nuclear energy, fertilisers and cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space as well as India’s manned space mission programme scheduled for 2022. “I am confident that President Putin’s commitment will give more energy to these relations. And our trust and friendship will be further strengthened and our special and privileged strategic partnership will scale new heights,” said PM Modi in his statement.

“PM Modi spoke of rising oil prices and its impact on domestic economy. President Putin said that Russia would work with India to see stability in oil prices and try and enhance production of petroleum, if needed,” said a source privy to the discussions.

Putin said, “Military-technical cooperation is not limited to Russian arms supplies. Our defence ministries and general staff maintain regular contact and work to enhance combat readiness of our armed forces.” Modi said India and Russia were “unanimous in strengthening multi-polarity and multilateralism in this rapidly changing world”. While Moscow advocated early adoption of CCIT that India has been pushing for at the UN since 1996, the two sides did not name any Pakistan-based or other terror group and entity in the joint statement.