Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday gifted Russian President Vladimir Putin a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, the celebrated Tamil classic by poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar, during their meeting in New Delhi. The literary gift was presented as Modi and Putin held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit. Putin arrived in India on Friday for the summit, which India is hosting on September 12 and 13.
The Thirukkural is one of the most revered works of Tamil literature and comprises 1,330 couplets covering themes such as ethics, virtue, governance, love and the conduct of life. The Russian-language edition also includes extensive writings on agriculture and farmers.
By choosing a Russian translation, Modi highlighted India’s rich literary and cultural heritage while presenting Putin with a work in a language accessible to him.
The gesture came as India and Russia look to expand their longstanding strategic partnership into newer areas of cooperation. The two leaders discussed a wide range of issues, including bilateral ties as well as the ongoing conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region.
$100 billion trade target, nuclear cooperation on Modi-Putin agenda
Modi and Putin shared a warm hug before beginning their second meeting this year. The two leaders had earlier met on the sidelines of the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek on August 31, less than two weeks ago.
During Friday’s talks, the leaders were expected to review progress in bilateral cooperation across political, economic, defence, energy, space, mobility and people-to-people ties.
The discussions also focused on expanding industrial cooperation, including collaboration in the rail and tunnelling sectors, strengthening the steel value chain, creating more business-to-business opportunities and improving access to the Russian market.
Civil nuclear cooperation, including the fuel cycle and life-cycle support, is also expected to feature prominently. The two sides are looking to increase cooperation in mobility, including opportunities for more skilled Indian workers in Russia, as well as collaboration in critical minerals.
Fertiliser cooperation through strategic joint venture projects is another area being considered as India and Russia work towards strengthening economic ties and advancing the long-term trade target of $100 billion.
Before their Bishkek meeting, Modi and Putin had met in New Delhi for the 23rd Annual Summit in December 2025.
At the Bishkek meeting, the two leaders welcomed the outcome of the 27th India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic and Cultural matters, held in Moscow on August 24.
They also discussed India-Russia engagement in multilateral forums, particularly BRICS under India’s chairship in 2026. Regional and global developments, including the conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region, were also discussed, with both sides noting their impact on maritime trade and the safety and security of Indian seafarers.
Modi had reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy remained the way forward in resolving conflicts.
“The two leaders agreed to remain engaged to further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries, which continues to register significant growth and has shown resilience in the backdrop of geopolitical uncertainties,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had stated after the August 31 meeting.
