Putin Lauds PM Modi's 'Make in India' Initiative In Automobile Sector

Russian President Vladimir Putin commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' initiative during his speech at the 8th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Russia. He expressed his support for PM Modi's efforts to encourage the use of domestically manufactured products and promote the 'Make in India' program.

Responding to a question about Russian-made cars, Putin stressed about the importance of using domestically produced automobiles. He cited India's policies under Prime Minister Modi's leadership as an example of a country that prioritises the production and use of locally made cars and vessels.

In his address at the forum, Putin said, "In the 1990s, we did not have domestically made cars, but we do now. While they may appear more modest compared to Mercedes or Audi cars, which we imported in large numbers in the 1990s, this is not a concern. We should learn from partners like India, who focus on the production and utilization of vehicles manufactured in their own country. Prime Minister Modi is doing the right thing by encouraging the use of products branded 'Made in India.' We also have domestically produced vehicles, and we should take advantage of them."

He emphasized that using Russian-made cars was entirely acceptable and would not violate any World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations. Putin proposed creating guidelines for which types of vehicles different categories of officials should use, with an emphasis on promoting domestically manufactured cars, citing streamlined logistics as a significant advantage.

During the event, Putin discussed the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which was announced on the sidelines of the G20 leaders' summit in New Delhi. He expressed no concerns about the IMEC hindering Russia and believed the project would benefit the country.

While acknowledging the United States' involvement in the project, Putin saw it as primarily driven by business interests. He viewed the additional movement of goods along the corridor as complementary to Russia's North-South project and not a hindrance.

According to the Russian news agency TASS, Putin emphasized that the IMEC would aid Russia in developing its logistics infrastructure and highlighted that discussions about the project had been ongoing for several years.