Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Russian leader Vladimir Putin as a “friend” while his government moved to bolster relations with China, another sign the South Asian nation is tilting away from the US in the face of Donald Trump’s tariff threats.

A call between the leaders of Russia and India affirmed the countries’ close ties despite Washington’s demands for New Delhi to wean itself off Russian oil. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday thanked his “friend,

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday and looked forward to continued exchanges in the days to come.