PM Shehbaz says Pakistan respects Russia-India ties, seeks closer relations with Moscow

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed Tuesday to expand cooperation across multiple sectors during a meeting on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

The two leaders last met at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana in 2024. Both expressed satisfaction over the growing momentum in ties since then.

PM Shehbaz praised Putin’s leadership, crediting his “personal commitment and interest” for recent progress. He said Pakistan was eager to deepen collaboration, especially in commerce and trade, and highlighted a boost in bilateral trade since Pakistan began importing Russian oil last year.

The prime minister also pointed to recent high-level visits and signed protocols in agriculture, energy, iron and steel, and transport. He underscored the importance of a regional trade corridor linking Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, calling it vital for connectivity and prosperity.

‘Pakistan respects Russia-India relations’

Shehbaz said Islamabad respected Moscow’s close ties with India but wanted to build complementary relations with Russia to advance regional stability. He described Russia’s support as a “balancing act in the region” and accepted Putin’s invitation to attend the SCO Heads of Government Summit in Russia this November.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, September 2, 2025. Reuters

Putin calls Pakistan ‘traditional partner’

Putin, in turn, described Pakistan as a “traditional partner” in Asia and voiced readiness to expand ties further. He acknowledged improvements in trade but said more work was needed. The Russian leader also expressed condolences over recent natural disasters in Pakistan and wished the country success in overcoming challenges under Shehbaz’s leadership.

The Kremlin chief noted cooperation at the inter-parliamentary level and in international forums. He praised Pakistan’s role as a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and said both countries maintained regular contact in multilateral settings.

According to the Foreign Office, Shehbaz emphasized Pakistan’s readiness to work with Russia in trade connectivity, energy, agriculture, investment, defense, artificial intelligence, education, culture and people-to-people exchanges. He pointed to “almost similarity of approaches” on global issues and said sustained engagement through institutional mechanisms was crucial.

Shehbaz cited planned initiatives such as a proposed Pakistan Steel Mill project in Karachi and connectivity investments as symbols of lasting partnership. Putin agreed with this assessment, saying the SCO could play a major role in strengthening cooperation and ensuring regional stability.

The two leaders also discussed regional and international issues, including South Asia, Afghanistan, the Middle East and the conflict in Ukraine. They exchanged views on long-standing disputes such as Palestine and Kashmir, according to the Foreign Office.

Putin extended a formal invitation for Shehbaz to undertake an official visit to Russia. Delegations from both countries attended the Beijing meeting.