India, Sept. 2 -- India and Russia reaffirmed their long-standing strategic partnership on Monday against the backdrop of US pressure on India to curb Russian energy purchases, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi telling President Vladimir Putin that the two countries have stood side by side in the most difficult times.

As the two leaders met on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, Modi said he looked forward to welcoming Putin in India in December for an annual summit. In addition to the bilateral meeting that lasted close to an hour, the two leaders held informal talks for almost 45 minutes as Putin gave a lift to Modi in his armoured Aurus limousine from the summit venue to the hotel where the fo...