Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday told Russian President Vladimir Putin that now is "not a time for war" on the sidelines of a regional summit.
"Excellency, I know today's time is not a time for war," PM Modi told Putin in Samarkand as the two leaders began their first face-to-face meeting since Moscow's forces invaded Ukraine, reports NDTV.
The comments from PM Modi came just a day after Putin acknowledged that China - Russia's key ally - had "concerns" over the conflict in Ukraine.
Russian president told the Indian Prime Minister that he wanted to end the conflict in Ukraine, which began in February, as soon as possible and understood that India had concerns about the war.
"I know your position on the conflict in Ukraine, your concerns.... We will do our best to end this as soon as possible," Putin assures Modi.
It is learnt that the two leaders discussed bilateral, regional and global issues on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
India has not yet criticised Russia for its invasion of Ukraine like their other ally countries. New Delhi has been pushing for resolution of the crisis through dialogue.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
