Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to represent India at Russia’s Victory Day parade next month that will mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Germany in the Second World War
Russia has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the May 9 celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Germany in World War II, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has said.
However, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to represent India at Russia’s Victory Day parade next month that will mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Germany in the Second World War, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
Earlier, Russia’s Tass news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko as saying that Modi has been invited to attend the celebrations.
“It’s being worked out…He (Modi) has an invitation,” Rudenko said. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the prime minister received an invitation.
“Our prime minister has received an invitation for participation in the Victory Day celebrations. We’ll be announcing our participation in the Victory Day celebrations at the appropriate time,” he said.
Russia has invited leaders of several friendly nations to attend this year’s Victory Day parade. PM Modi travelled to Russia twice last year for an annual summit with President Vladimir Putin and to attend the BRICS Summit in Kazan.
The Russian president is expected to visit India for the annual summit this year, the people cited above said. Putin and Modi maintain regular contact, holding telephone conversations once every couple of months. The two leaders also hold in-person meetings, particularly on the sidelines of international events.
Meanwhile, India and Russia have agreed on six new strategic projects aimed at enhancing bilateral investment cooperation during the 8th Session of the India-Russia Working Group on Priority Investment Projects (IRWG-PIP), as per a press release.
The session that was held in the national capital on Wednesday was conducted under the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological, and Cultural Cooperation and focused on advancing collaborative projects in sectors of mutual interest. The co-chairs of the session signed a protocol highlighting these projects and reviewed the outcomes of the previous 7th session.
India and Russia discussed initiatives to strengthen economic ties and affirmed their commitment to expanding investment collaboration. The session was followed by the 2nd Edition of the India-Russia Investment Forum, organised in collaboration with Invest India, the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, the release stated. The forum saw active participation from over 80 businesses, including entrepreneurs, financial institutions, cargo companies, business chambers, and officials from both countries.
The session was co-chaired by Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, from India, and Vladimir Ilichev, Deputy Minister of the Ministry for Economic Development of the Russian Federation, from Russia.
Both sides reiterated the importance of continued cooperation in investment and trade to strengthen their economic partnership.
Russia has been a longstanding and time-tested partner for India. The development of India-Russia relations has been a key pillar of India’s foreign policy. Since the signing of the “Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership” in October 2000 (during the visit of President Putin), India-Russia ties have acquired a qualitatively new character with enhanced levels of cooperation in almost all areas, including political, security, defence, trade and economy, science & technology, culture, and people-to-people ties. During the visit of the Russian President to India in December 2010, the Strategic Partnership was elevated to the level of “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.
The bilateral Naval Exercise INDRA 2025 between the Indian and Russian navies was held from March 28 to April 2, according to the Ministry of Defence. As per the Ministry of Defence, the 14th edition of the exercise included a wide range of activities and structured drills designed to enhance interoperability towards countering common maritime threats. The operations involved complex coordinated manoeuvres and simulated engagements showcasing the combined combat power of the participating navies.
The exercise achieved its aim of enhanced jointmanship and reinforced the shared commitment to upholding the principles of maritime order, promoting global peace and stability, the Ministry of Defence said in the statement.
According to the Ministry, the drills also provided invaluable operational experience, strengthening collective capacity to address contemporary maritime security challenges. The exercise facilitated the exchange of best practices, fostering a deeper understanding of each other’s operational doctrines and enhancing the ability to operate seamlessly in complex maritime environments.
Notably, the INDRA series of exercises have been a cornerstone of India-Russia Defence relations since its inception in 2003 and both countries recognise the importance of maritime security and the need for a collaborative approach to counter common threats and concerns.
