Putin talked for 45 minutes with Indian Prime Minister Modi in his limousine

(Patria) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, held on the sidelines of the summit in China in Putin's limousine, as "insightful", writes the BBC.

The two leaders spent 45 minutes in the Russian leader's car, after which Modi posted their joint photo with praise for Putin.

"They were like at home... They felt comfortable there, and that's why they continued the conversation," said Putin's spokesperson.

The meeting followed the two leaders, along with Chinese President Xi Jinping, holding hands at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.

This scene is interpreted as a challenge to US President Donald Trump and US dominance on the global stage.

Trump, namely, imposed a 50 percent US tariff on goods from India as punishment for New Delhi's purchase of Russian oil and weapons.

These tariffs, among the highest in the world, also include a 25 percent penalty for transactions with Russia, which are a key source of funding for its war in Ukraine.

Despite being a vital strategic partner of the US in the Indo-Pacific, India shows no signs of stopping its purchases.

The friendship with Putin, shown in Tianjin, is viewed precisely in the context of Trump's threats. It is also significant that the US was recently India's largest trading partner.

At the same time, Putin was facing Trump's deadline to agree to peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but Russia has stated that it does not plan such a meeting.

Speaking at the summit, Putin thanked the Chinese and Indian leaders for their support and efforts to "facilitate the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis".

In his speech, Putin also said that at his meeting with Trump in Alaska last month, "understandings were reached that represent movement in that direction, paving the way for peace in Ukraine".

Russia, let us recall, launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

On August 22, Trump said he had given Putin "a few weeks" to respond before the US took action.

This was the latest in a series of ultimatums that the Russian leader had ignored. Trump had previously stated that he could resolve the war in Ukraine in one day.