New Delhi, Sep 25 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, met the Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev on the sidelines of the World Food India 2025 event which the Prime Minister inaugurated at the national capital’s Bharat Mandapam.

Both PM Modi and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Patrushev also exchanged views on enhancing cooperation between India and Russia in the field of agriculture, fertilisers, food processing and other areas of mutual interest.

Taking to his official X account, PM Modi said: “Happy to meet Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev at the World Food India 2025. We discussed ways to strengthen our win-win cooperation in agriculture, fertilisers and food processing.”

The Prime Minister also conveyed his warm greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin and said that he looked forward to welcoming Putin to India for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.

Inaugurating the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show in Noida on Thursday morning, Prime Minister Modi said that Russia was the country partner for the event, and the trade show was evidence of the two countries “further strengthening a time-tested partnership”.

The White House in recent weeks pressured New Delhi to scale down its ties with Moscow, especially pausing its purchases of Russian crude oil.

With Russian President Vladimir Putin slated to visit India for the bilateral annual summit in December, New Delhi-Moscow relations are set to remain upbeat.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Patrushev, who deals with agriculture and agro-products portfolio, was on a visit to India this week.

Russia is also a country partner for the World Food India, and PM Modi in his speech noted that the two countries are strengthening their “time tested partnership”.

The White House, however, has kept up the heat on India on the question of its buying Russian oil, but has also indicated that US President Donald Trump and PM Modi could meet soon, likely on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit, which is to be held from October 26 to 28 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

According to media reports, it has also indicated Trump would be travelling to India to attend the Quad Summit, which is likely to be held either later this year or in early 2026.

In his speech in Noida, PM Modi spoke of the government’s efforts at creating an ecosystem for domestic defence production, and Uttar Pradesh had a huge role to play in this.

He spoke of India-Russia defence cooperation as well.

“Very soon, the production of AK-203 rifles is going to start from the factory built in collaboration with Russia,” he said.

PM Modi said a defence corridor was also being constructed in Uttar Pradesh, and it would manufacture many weapons, and the production of Brahmos missiles had started.

According to an official statement, Russia is participating in the trade show as a partner country, “adding strategic significance opening avenues for bilateral trade, technology exchange, and long-term cooperation”.

More than 2,400 exhibitors, 125,000 B2B (business-to-business) visitors, and 450,000 B2C (business-to-customer) visitors also participated in the trade show, it said.

On Wednesday, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told a press conference in New York the US looked forward to more energy cooperation and trade with India, including in natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy.

“Of course, we wish India would work with us to buy — you can buy oil from every nation on Earth, just not Russian oil. That’s our position,” Wright said.

In his Noida address, PM Modi spoke of the benefits that had accrued to people because of cuts in some rates of goods and services tax (GST).

He urged people to embrace swadeshi products, and spoke of his government’s commitment to “Atmanirbharta” or self-reliance.

There is no greater helplessness than dependence on others, he said.

“In a changing world, the more a country relies on others, the more its growth is compromised,” he said, adding, “India is no longer willing to be dependent on other countries.”

–IANS

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