PM Modi is on a two-day official visit to Russia where he has been asked by President Vladimir Putin to attend the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit. PM Modi also received Guard Of Honour at Moscow airport.
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives Guard of Honour on his arrival in Moscow, Russia
PM Modi is on a two-day official visit to Russia. He will hold the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit with President Putin. pic.twitter.com/G4GDS3va5s
— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2024
Following his activities in Russia, Prime Minister Modi will go to Austria from July 9 to 10. This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Austria in 41 years.PM Modi and President Putin will hold the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit in Moscow. PM Modi will visit Austria on July 9 to meet with President Alexander Van der Bellen and Chancellor Karl Nehammer. This visit holds particular significance as it marks Modi’s first trip to Russia since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022. Earlier, sharing details about the PM’s visit to Russia, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on July 5 said that both leaders have spoken on the phone multiple times since their unofficial meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in 2022.
#WATCH | PM Narendra Modi embarks on a three-day official visit to Russia and Austria
PM Modi and President Vladimir Putin will hold the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit in Moscow. On 9th July, PM Modi will travel to Austria, where he will meet President Alexander Van der Bellen… pic.twitter.com/h2XuTdn79O
— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2024
PM Modi will then fly to Austria to commemorate India and Austria’s 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. The Prime Minister will meet with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer to discuss ways to deepen bilateral ties and explore new channels of cooperation.
PM Modi’s Tweet on X
Over the next three days, will be in Russia and Austria. These visits will be a wonderful opportunity to deepen ties with these nations, with whom India has time tested friendship. I also look forward to interacting with the Indian community living in these countries.…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 8, 2024
Some Key Highlights of PM Modi’s Russia Visit
Strategic Dialogues: Modi is scheduled for a series of high-level engagements, including a private meeting with President Putin, delegation-level talks, and a visit to the VDNKH Complex’s Rosatom Pavilion.
Comprehensive Agenda: The discussions are set to encompass a wide spectrum of bilateral relations, encompassing economic ties, regional security issues, and global concerns of mutual interest.
Diplomatic Interactions: Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov highlighted the extensive nature of the agenda, including informal discussions between Modi and Putin, underscoring the depth of the strategic partnership between India and Russia.
Global Significance: Peskov’s remarks also alluded to the international attention on Modi’s visit, emphasizing Western interest in the outcomes of the summit, which reflects the importance attached to the Indo-Russian relationship.
Trade and Economic Focus: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted the opportunity for Modi and Putin to discuss pressing issues such as trade imbalances and furthering economic cooperation between the two nations.
S Jaishankar’s Take
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that the biggest change in relations with Russia is that the economic relationship between the two countries has improved tremendously.
#WATCH | On PM Modi’s visit to Russia, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar says, ” …There was a bit of a delay in our annual summits, it is a good tradition, we are 2 countries which have a strong history of working together. We did value the need for an annual summit.… pic.twitter.com/kyImZnmm2h
— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2024
Speaking to ANI, Jaishankar said that it will be a great opportunity for PM Modi and Russian President Putin to sit and discuss the relationship.
“It is a way of taking stock of any relationship… one of the biggest changes has been, that our economic relationship with Russia has grown tremendously… at the leadership level, it will be a great opportunity for PM Modi and Russian President Putin to sit down and directly talk to each other,” he said. Jaishankar said that because of the varied preoccupations of both- PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the annual summit was a bit delayed.
“There was a bit of a delay in our annual summits, it is a good tradition, we are two countries which have a strong history of working together. We did value the need for an annual summit. Last year when I went to Moscow, I carried a message from the PM that we are committed to the annual summit and we will do it sooner rather than later…it is a regular recurrence. It is a way of taking stock of any relationship,” he said.
He said that both countries have a steady history of working together. “We look at the happenings around the world and see if we want to make any amends to a situation, we meet and discuss. This meeting was something that was waiting to happen.”
Modi’s visit to Moscow amid global geopolitical dynamics reaffirms the enduring strength of the India-Russia strategic partnership. As both leaders convene to navigate complex challenges and explore new avenues for collaboration, the visit holds promise for advancing bilateral ties across multiple fronts.
