India, Sept. 1 -- India and Russia have walked shoulder to shoulder in the most difficult circumstances, and their cooperation is crucial for world peace and stability, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin as they met on Monday against the backdrop of a souring of India-US relations.

India looked forward to welcoming Putin in December for an annual summit, Modi said as the two leaders met on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the Chinese city of Tianjin. The two leaders have been in touch in recent weeks on the conflict in Ukraine, and Modi said he hoped all parties would move constructively towards a permanent peace.

"Even in the most difficult circumstances, India and Russia hav...