Published: July 23, 2026 4:43 pm
Author: RT
Former minister and TV actor Smriti Irani tells RT India that the two leaders value the support of their people
Former federal minister and popular TV actor Smriti Irani has said that India’s Prime Minister and the Russian President share a common trait: an immense emotional bond with the people of their countries.
In an exclusive chat with RT India for the ‘India, Russia and the World’ weekly podcast, Irani spoke of Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin: “They’re both emotional about their countries.”
“And (they have) a sense of joy in sharing knowledge, in sharing achievements of each other’s countries.”
Irani, who held various important portfolios as a cabinet minister in Narendra Modi’s first two terms, from 2016 to 2024, recalled an incident from 2019 in the interview. Putin sent a video message during the inauguration of a AK-203 rifle factory in Amethi, her then-constituency in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Prime Minister Modi was also at the event.
“The whole imagery in itself was surreal,” she said. “That you’re in Amethi, which is one of the most hotly contested parliamentary constituencies in Indian politics. And never before in the history of Amethi, that had happened.
“The Indian Prime Minister sits on the dais and you have Mr. Putin on the screen. So as somebody who is a student of politics, possibly, surreal moment.”
She continued. “For me, it was a personal, big high. For the region, it was a matter of great pride… the decision was that there will be a production of close to 600,000 units.
“It’s a 5,000 crore ($517 million) investment that came to a defunct plant.”
On the West’s discomfort with India’s friendship with Russia, she said, “I think the best of friendships are those that need no explanation.”
“We don’t choose our friends depending on the likeness or the dislike of somebody else… Those are convenient relationships.”
Irani said that Modi “has respected everybody’s point of view but has firmly stood by our friendship with Russia.”
Smriti was the lead star in one of Indian TV’s most popular daily soap operas, ‘Kyuki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi,’ which translates as “because every mother-in-law was once a daughter-in-law.”
After leaving the Modi cabinet, she reprised her iconic role in the show’s reboot last year.
Irani listed focus on women, digitization, and steering the country through the Covid pandemic period as the major achievements of Prime Minister Modi.
“He is somebody I have seen who defers to not only competence, he’s somebody who also defers to people with knowledge,” she said.
