The three-day meeting, held in Kazan under tight security, is the largest international event in Russia since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“We have been in constant contact regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” Modi told Putin as the two shook hands.
“We believe that disputes should be resolved only peacefully. We fully support efforts to quickly restore peace and stability,” the Indian leader added.
Putin praised what he called the “privileged strategic partnership” between Russia and India and promised to continue building ties.
Since Russia’s repeated invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Delhi has followed a diplomatically difficult path, promising humanitarian support to Kyiv while avoiding outright condemnation of the Russian invasion.
Modi visited Kyiv in August and Moscow in July in an effort to boost talks, as India has announced itself as a potential mediator.
About two dozen other leaders will participate in the Kazan summit, including Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN Secretary General António Guterres.