Sri Lanka, Dec. 5 -- India, whose government is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has clearly demonstrated that it can no longer be treated as a colony, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with India Today.

"It seems to me that India and the rest of the world have seen that India cannot be treated as it was 77 years ago (when the country first gained independence)," the Russian leader stated, calling the country a "serious power".

According to Putin, "The head of the Indian government, Prime Minister Modi, is not the kind of person who would compromise his country's interests. This is absolutely obvious. He has very firm, clear positions," the Russian President said. "He is simply working to protect legitimate in...