Russian President Vladimir Putin has strongly backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s independent foreign policy, saying attempts to pressure India over its ties with Moscow were “futile” and ultimately detrimental to international relations.Responding to a question on whether India’s growing engagement with the United States was creating friction in India-Russia relations, Putin dismissed suggestions of any strain in the strategic partnership and reaffirmed Moscow’s confidence in New Delhi as a reliable partner.”It is another thing that the United States is trying to pressure India on certain issues, particularly on certain issues of cooperation with Russia. But I think everyone has long since realised that pressuring Prime Minister Modi, who leads a country with a population of 1.5 billion, is futile,” Putin said during an interaction with heads of leading global news agencies at the Constantine Palace in St Petersburg.”Moreover, it harms international relations and bilateral relations, no matter from which side this pressure comes,” he added.The remarks come ahead of Putin’s visit to India for the BRICS Summit in September and amid continued Western scrutiny of India’s economic and energy ties with Russia.Describing India-Russia ties as a “special and privileged strategic partnership”, Putin said the relationship had been built over decades and remained resilient despite shifting geopolitical realities.”We do not see any negative consequences arising from the current situation. Russia and India continue to strengthen their partnership, and we regard India as a reliable partner,” he said.The Russian leader credited India’s economic rise to the policies pursued under Modi’s leadership, noting that the country was recording some of the highest growth rates among major economies.”This is the result of consistent and purposeful efforts, above all by the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Putin said.Highlighting the expanding economic relationship, Putin expressed confidence that bilateral trade would reach $100 billion in the coming years, up from the current level of around $60 billion.He said cooperation between the two countries extended well beyond energy and encompassed nuclear power, hydrocarbons, pharmaceuticals and investment. Referring to the Russian-assisted Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, Putin said cooperation in the civil nuclear sector would continue to deepen, with prospects for additional projects in the future.Russia remains one of the largest foreign investors in India, he noted, adding that both sides were working on several long-term initiatives of mutual interest.Putin also rejected the notion that India’s engagement with other major powers should be viewed through the prism of competition. As a major global power and one of the world’s largest democracies, India was naturally pursuing relations with a wide range of countries in line with its national interests, he said.His remarks are likely to be viewed in New Delhi as a significant endorsement of India’s strategic autonomy at a time when global geopolitical rivalries are intensifying and countries face increasing pressure to align with competing power blocs.