Bangladesh, Sept. 11 -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin began talks in New Delhi on Friday, their second meeting in two weeks, that are expected to focus on trade, energy and defence ties between the two countries, which have long been friends.

The talks are being held on the eve of the annual summit of BRICS leaders in the Indian capital, which will include Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, among others.

Modi and Putin are expected to discuss cooperation in civil nuclear energy, fertilisers, defence, critical minerals, manufacturing, railways, and steel, an Indian source said.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit...