Putin says Any Threat Of Sanctions Against India Would ‘Boomerang’

New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said India remains a sovereign nation guided by its national interests and asserted that any potential threat of sanctions against the country under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership would “boomerang” immediately.

Speaking at the plenary session of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2026 in Moscow, Putin described India as a “brotherly” and trusted partner, as he reiterated Russia’s commitment to its partnership with New Delhi while stressing that Russia’s cooperation with India is not influenced by political circumstances.

He said India remains one of Russia’s most important partners and that bilateral cooperation is not influenced by changing political circumstances. “We have had very good, trust-based, brotherly relations in all senses of the word,” Putin said.

Praising India’s human resources, he said Indians are highly educated and possess globally recognised expertise, particularly in coding and technology-related fields. “…India is one of the leading players in the IT industry. It accounts for a significant share of the global software market,” he said.

Referring to recent disruptions linked to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, Putin said Russian and Indian companies had made the right decision by deepening cooperation.

He said Russia was increasing supplies to India and other Asian markets while continuing to share technological solutions with its partners.

Putin also stressed that Moscow’s partnership with India cannot be dictated by external forces. “Our cooperation with India, just like with all other partners of ours, is not subject to the political environment. Nobody can dictate to us what we should or should not deliver to India,” he said.

He added that Russia would continue to honour commitments made to its partners, especially countries such as India.

Highlighting defence ties, Putin said India and Russia share a long-standing history of military and technical cooperation dating back to the Soviet era. “A significant portion of the armed forces of India is equipped with Russian equipment. This is a tradition that dates back to Soviet times,” he said.