‘A major achievement’: Putin calls PM Modi the architect of India’s 7% growth surge

Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered one of his strongest endorsements yet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, calling India’s nearly 7% annual economic growth a “major achievement” and crediting Modi for steering the country to the top league of global economies. In an interview with India Today and Aaj Tak at the Kremlin, Putin repeatedly framed Modi as the driving force behind India’s rise—signalling clear political intent ahead of his upcoming visit to New Delhi.

Putin, speaking to anchors Anjana Om Kashyap and Geeta Mohan, described India as “an enormous country, home to one-and-a-half billion people, boasting a growing economy with a 7% annual growth rate, leading among major global powers. After all, Mr Modi has made this possible.”

‘Challenging Tasks’ and a Vision of Development

Putin also highlighted Modi’s style of governance, calling him a leader who “sets very challenging tasks for the country — and for himself first, then for the administration, and eventually for the nation.”

The Russian President went further, offering rare praise for India’s developmental journey over the past 77 years since Independence. He called India’s progress “almost like a miracle,” citing the doubling of life expectancy and rapid socioeconomic transformation. The framing clearly sought to place Modi’s leadership in a larger arc of national success.

During the conversation, Putin described how Modi frequently pushes him and his team to do more in bilateral areas. “When we meet, he always says, ‘Let’s do this, let’s do that, let’s look at this area and that.’ I can list them all,” Putin said, adding that the India-Russia partnership spans high-technology fields including space, nuclear energy, shipbuilding, aviation and artificial intelligence.

The praise comes at a moment of heightened geopolitical attention, with Putin set to land in India today at 6:30 pm amid global scrutiny — something he openly acknowledged when told “the world will be watching.”

Personal rapport 

The Russian President also spoke fondly about his personal equation with Modi, recounting an unplanned moment during the recent SCO Summit where the two leaders hopped into his car to continue their private conversation.

“It wasn’t prearranged… I asked, ‘Would you like to come along?’ It was a gesture of camaraderie and friendship,” he said. The anecdote, simple on the surface, was deployed as a subtle reminder that the partnership is not purely transactional — it is reinforced by trust at the highest level.

Putin added that their conversations “continued in the car” and that the two leaders “always have things to discuss,” signalling the depth and informality of the channel between them.

Putin argued that growing interplay between India and Russia helps maintain balance “among major nations,” which he called essential for global progress.

While Putin avoided revealing details about upcoming agreements, he confirmed that several “forward-looking” documents are ready — likely to be announced during the New Delhi summit.