Prime Minister Narendra Modi is looking forward to meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit before welcoming him to New Delhi for next month’s BRICS Summit, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said…reports Asian Lite News Desk
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Monday during a two-day official visit to review bilateral relations and preparations for several high-level engagements.
At the start of the meeting, Jaishankar conveyed Modi’s greetings and handed Putin a personal communication from the Prime Minister. “Let me begin by conveying the good wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has given me a personal communication which I would like to hand over to you,” Jaishankar said.
The minister briefed Putin on the outcome of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission meeting held earlier in the day. He said cooperation between the two countries had expanded significantly across several sectors.
“We had a meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission. I think we have a good report to give you overall. I think our economic cooperation, trade, energy, fertilisers, nuclear, and other dimensions as well – I’d be pleased to speak about them in detail. Overall, I think our economic cooperation has grown very significantly,” he added.
Jaishankar also outlined the planned sequence of meetings between Modi and Putin, beginning with the forthcoming SCO Summit. “Prime Minister Modi looks forward to meeting you at the SCO Summit, then welcoming you to India for the BRICS Summit, and, in due course, as per your mutual convenience, having the annual summit, so we have a very strong picture of cooperation to present.”
India is due to host the 18th BRICS Summit next month in New Delhi. The gathering will bring together leaders from the grouping’s 11 member countries: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
The summit is expected to focus on issues of shared global and regional interest and explore ways to strengthen cooperation among emerging markets and developing economies. Welcoming Jaishankar, Putin said the visit reflected the longstanding relationship between India and Russia.
“Your visit today underscores the level of relations that have long been established between Russia and India, over decades. We continue to work together in virtually all areas. This includes governmental ties, interparliamentary ties, and economic cooperation,” Putin said.
The Russian president noted that bilateral trade had increased this year, after a slight decline last year. He credited Modi’s personal attention to the development of relations between the two countries. “I’m pleased to note that our trade turnover has increased this year. While it declined slightly last year, it’s growing this year, and this is partly, and perhaps primarily, thanks to Prime Minister [Narendra Modi], who is devoting his personal attention to developing Russian-Indian relations,” Putin added. Putin asked Jaishankar to convey his best wishes to Modi and said he expected to meet the Prime Minister at the SCO Summit.
Earlier, Jaishankar co-chaired the 27th session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. Putin said the commission had discussed energy, fertiliser supplies, nuclear power and cooperation in high-technology industries. He said Russia was increasing fertiliser supplies for Indian agriculture and was prepared to raise them further.
