Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday told Russian President Vladimir Putin that India is ready to assist in peace efforts, reiterating that dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward to resolve conflicts, as the two leaders discussed the wars in West Asia and the Black Sea region.The message came during Modi’s bilateral meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, their second meeting this year. The two leaders had last met in Bishkek on August 31 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.Related News: PM Modi holds talks with President Putin; $100-billion bilateral trade target by 2030 on agendaRelated News: Tibetan Youth Congress protests Xi Jinping’s Delhi visit, calls China’s ethnic unity law ‘genocide’Related News: Sans Bollywood stars, India’s classical traditions take centre stage at BRICS Putin invited Modi to Russia for the 24th India-Russia Annual Summit. Modi accepted the invitation, with the dates to be finalised through diplomatic channels.As a gesture reflecting India’s cultural heritage, Modi presented Putin with a Russian translation of the ‘Thirukkural’, the classic Tamil text by poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar. Written in 1,330 couplets, the work deals with ethics, morality and various aspects of human life.According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the two leaders reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation in political, economic, defence, energy, space, skill mobility and people-to-people ties.They also discussed the impact of the conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region on maritime trade and the safety and security of Indian seafarers.The meeting assumes significance amid the continuing Russia-Ukraine war, with India seeking to maintain its role as a proponent of dialogue and diplomacy and remaining in touch with both sides.Just days after Modi met Putin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Bishkek, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar travelled to Kyiv, where he held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.In Kyiv, Jaishankar said India remained ready to help end the conflict and was in continuous contact with both Russia and Ukraine. Zelenskyy thanked India for its efforts to help end the war.Ahead of Putin’s visit, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had also welcomed India’s willingness to contribute to efforts to settle the Ukraine conflict, saying Moscow was open to attempts to find a peaceful solution.“We do want the solution of the Ukrainian conflict by peaceful means, and Russia is open for this process….We welcome the willingness of Indian side to contribute,” Peskov had told Indian journalists in a virtual interaction.Meanwhile, Modi and Putin welcomed Russia’s International Industrial Exhibition, INNOPROM India, held in India for the first time from September 9 to 11, and underscored its importance in expanding bilateral trade and industrial ties. The two leaders also visited the exhibition and interacted with participants.They discussed India-Russia engagement in the multilateral sphere, particularly BRICS under India’s chairship in 2026.The two sides also agreed to remain engaged to further strengthen their “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership”, which the MEA said had shown resilience amid geopolitical uncertainties.The talks came ahead of the BRICS Summit beginning in New Delhi on Saturday, with the grouping bringing together 11 members and India seeking to use its chairship to advance cooperation and strengthen the voice of the Global South.