Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday described India and China as "close allies and partners" and said that the two Asian giants always talked about the need to initiate a dialogue and resolve the Ukraine conflict peacefully, nearly a month after Prime Minister Narendra Modi told him during a summit that today's era is not of war.Putin made the remarks during a press conference in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, where he was on a visit to attend the first Russia–Central Asia Summit during which the presidents of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan discussed efforts to expand interaction among them in various spheres.Talking about the potential mediatory role of China and India at negotiations with Ukraine, Putin said that Beijing and New Delhi always talked about the need to build a dialogue and solve the conflict peacefully, state-owned Tass news agency reported.We will have the opportunity to talk today about how we can move forward on the road of peace in the coming days," Modi said in his first in-person meeting with Putin since the Ukraine conflict began in February.Xi and Putin maintained close personal relations in the 10-year tenure of the Chinese leader and Beijing effectively stood by Moscow declining to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, even though it officially asserts that it maintains a neutral stance on the Ukraine issue."