Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and discussed growing bilateral ties between India and Russia. While meeting, both leaders expressed the great potential of the partnership which has been reinforced over time in several sectors particularly in the field of defence and military cooperation.
Rajnath Singh, while meeting President Putin, said the depth of India’s commitment to its relationship with Russia. He termed the bilateral friendship “higher than the highest mountain and deeper than the deepest ocean,” symbolizing the unbreakable strength of ties between the two nations. The Ministry of Defence says that Singh again stated India’s consistent support for Russia and underlined that this friendship will continue to flourish and grow in the coming years.
Promoting Bilateral Defence Cooperation
The summit highlighted the expansion and intensification of defence and military relations between India and Russia. Rajnath Singh said that India remains committed to strengthening the defence sector tie with Russia as the relationship between the two nations had long been a source of mutual interest in a healthy strategic partnership.
Singh also took the opportunity to convey Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s warm greetings to President Putin, further emphasizing India’s deep respect and trust in Russia as a close ally. “The partnership between our countries holds immense potential,” Singh stated, stressing that joint efforts would lead to remarkable outcomes in both military and broader geopolitical domains.
Glad to call on the Russian President Mr Vladimir Putin at Kremlin in Moscow. https://t.co/lDgg7AOG23 pic.twitter.com/iJWkM9Khmn
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) December 10, 2024
India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission
Earlier in the day, Rajnath Singh co-chaired the 21st session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Cooperation. He co-chaired the session with his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov, in which both sides were able to review and discuss progress made in strengthening military cooperation and defense technology collaboration. This dialogue has been ongoing, as both countries have had a long-term commitment to improving their defense relations.
This visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russia comes five months after a visit to Moscow, in which the two leaders conducted summit talks and vowed to expand the strategic defence and military relationship further. It was during that summit that the two nations agreed to bolster cooperation across various sectors, including defence, energy, and trade.
In addition, Prime Minister Modi attended the BRICS summit in Moscow in October where he and President Putin reiterated that their countries were on the right track.
Putin’s Visit To India
During his meetings with the Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov, defence minister Rajnath Singh had raised the issue that the remaining units of S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems need to be delivered immediately as this is a mainstay of India’s air defense. Both countries will strive to complete the process in the shortest possible time frame.
President Putin is scheduled to visit India next year for the annual summit with Prime Minister Modi, where both leaders are expected to discuss further expansion of bilateral ties and explore new areas of cooperation.
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