Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the phone, appearing to send a strong signal to the US in the face of a debilitating tariff imposed by President Donald Trump on imports from India as penalty for buying Russian oil.

With the cumulative tariff on India going up to 50 per cent, Trump on Thursday ruled out any trade talks between the two countries until the tariff issue was resolved.

Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said India was negotiating trade agreements with several countries, including the US, and stressed that many nations were keen to engage with New Delhi on this front. He named Oman, the European Union, Chile, Peru and New Zealand.

According to the readout from both New Delhi and the Kremlin, Putin briefed Modi on developments related to Ukraine, the latest being an agreement between Moscow and Washington for the two Presidents to meet in the coming days at an undisclosed location. Trump has said India’s purchase of Russian oil amounts to funding the war in Ukraine.

The Kremlin confirmed the agreement on the meeting on Thursday after Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin in Moscow amid mounting pressure from the US President to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

In a post on X, Modi said: “Had a very good and detailed conversation with my friend President Putin. I thanked him for sharing the latest developments on Ukraine.

“We also reviewed the progress in our bilateral agenda, and reaffirmed our commitment to further deepen the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. I look forward to hosting President Putin in India later this year.”

This will be the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.

Modi is widely expected to travel to China later this month for the SCO Summit, with Trump’s disruptive tariffs upending the global order and realigning ties between countries. China on Friday welcomed Modi’s planned visit and expressed hope that the summit would be a “gathering of solidarity, friendship and fruitful results”.

“China welcomes Prime Minister Modi to China for the SCO Tianjin Summit,” foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said while responding to a question on the reports about Modi’s visit to China.

“We believe that with the concerted effort of all parties, the Tianjin summit will be a gathering of solidarity, friendship and fruitful results, and the SCO will enter a new stage of high-quality development featuring greater solidarity, coordination, dynamism and productiveness,” Guo said.

The Indian ministry of external affairs said in a statement that “President Putin briefed the PM on the latest developments concerning Ukraine”.

“While thanking President Putin for his detailed assessment, the Prime Minister reiterated India’s consistent position for peaceful resolution of the conflict,” it said.

The two leaders also reviewed progress in the bilateral agenda and reaffirmed their commitment to further deepening the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.

Modi invited Putin to India later this year for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, the MEA said.

According to sources, national security adviser Ajit Doval has said during his ongoing meetings in Moscow that the dates for Putin’s visit to India are being worked out.

Modi had travelled to Russia twice last year, for an annual summit with Putin and to attend the BRICS Summit in Kazan.