New Delhi, Dec 11 (ANI): While addressing a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that Russia will remain India's most important defence partner. Modi said that it was a great pleasure for him to host President Putin in New Delhi. Modi was speaking after talks with President Vladimir Putin aimed at revitalising ties that have focused on the import of defence equipment. It was the first annual summit meeting between Putin and Modi. The two leaders had met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Brazil in July and during the G-20 summit in Australia last month. PM Modi also said that the bond between the people of Russia and India is very strong and that the two nations have stood by each other through thick and thin.