Overview
- In an India Today interview, Vladimir Putin said de-dollarisation should proceed gradually rather than through sweeping changes.
- Putin warned that hasty monetary projects risk grave mistakes, pointing to strains that followed the euro's rollout across uneven economies.
- He described the rupee–rouble hurdle as an economic issue driven by trade flows, with Russia earning more rupees from oil sales than it can spend in India.
- Putin noted India has not restricted bilateral commerce and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked Russia to expand fertiliser supplies.
- To rebalance trade, he directed a special meeting of Russian importers to identify Indian goods for larger purchases, saying local-currency settlement will grow as trade patterns evolve.