President Vladimir Putin has extended a warm invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Russia next year. During a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the Kremlin, Putin expressed eagerness to welcome PM Modi, emphasizing that the visit would facilitate discussions on various relevant issues and prospects for the Indo-Russian relationship.
Jaishankar, who also met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, expressed confidence that the annual summit between PM Modi and President Putin would take place next year. The summit is a crucial institutional dialogue mechanism in the strategic partnership between India and Russia, with the leaders meeting alternately in India and Russia. The most recent summit occurred in New Delhi in December 2021.
Putin highlighted the growing trade turnover between the two nations, attributing it to increases in crude oil and high technology areas. He noted the steady and higher growth rate in trade turnover for the second consecutive year. The India-Russia relationship was described by Jaishankar as reflective of geopolitical realities, strategic convergence, and mutual benefit.
During the visit, significant agreements related to the construction of power-generating units at the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu were signed. Discussions also covered economic cooperation, connectivity efforts, military-technical cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. The ministers exchanged views on international issues, including the Indo-Pacific, the Ukraine conflict, Gaza, Afghanistan, Central Asia, BRICS, SCO, G20, and the UN.
Despite global concerns over Russia’s actions in Ukraine, India has maintained robust ties, refraining from explicit condemnation and emphasizing diplomatic resolution. The visit underscores the commitment to sustaining bilateral relations amid geopolitical challenges.
