In a telephone conversation, the two leaders reviewed progress on a number of issues of bilateral cooperation in follow-up to recent high-level exchanges between the two countries…reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he had “good conversation” with Russian President Vladimir Putin and both leaders agreed to develop a roadmap for future initiatives to further strengthen the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. He also exchanged views on various regional and global issues, including Russia’s Presidency of the BRICS.
“Had a good conversation with President Putin. We discussed various positive developments in our Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership and agreed to chalk out a roadmap for future initiatives. We also had a useful exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including Russia’s Presidency of the BRICS,” said PM Modi in a post on X. In a telephone conversation, the two leaders reviewed progress on a number of issues of bilateral cooperation in follow-up to recent high-level exchanges between the two countries. “They positively assessed the developments in bilateral relations and agreed to develop a roadmap for future initiatives to further strengthen the India-Russia Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership,” the PMO added.
Notably, during Putin’s visit to India in December 2010, the Strategic Partnership was elevated to the level of a “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.” They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. The PM also conveyed his best wishes for Russia’s presidency of BRICS in 2024 and assured Russia of India’s full support. The two leaders agreed to remain in touch. As Russia has begun the 2024 BRICS chairmanship, Putin has emphasised that, under the motto “Strengthening Multilateralism for Equitable Global Development and Security,” they will act precisely in this manner and focus on positive and constructive cooperation with all countries concerned.
“On January 1, Russia was passed the baton of the BRICS chairmanship, an association that, according to the decision adopted by the 15th BRICS Summit in August 2022, now includes 10 countries,” Russian President Putin said in his remarks on January 2.
Furthermore, as Russia assumes its chairmanship, it looks forward to working productively with all countries in the BRICS orbit. Russia has been a longstanding and time-tested partner for India. Development of India-Russia relations has been a key pillar of India’s foreign policy, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. Since the signing of “Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership” in October 2000 during the India visit of Russian President Putin, India-Russia ties have acquired a qualitatively new character with enhanced levels of cooperation in almost all areas of the bilateral relationship including political, security, trade and economy, defence, science and technology, and culture. In biggest election year ever, politics may impact India’s foreign policy the most Modi also conveyed his best wishes for Russia’s Presidency of BRICS in 2024 and assured India’s full support, the MEA statement said, adding that the two leaders agreed to remain in touch. Russia assumed BRICS presidency from January 1, 2024. During his visit to Russia last month, Jaishankar held a “wide-ranging and useful” meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Jaishankar said he and Lavrov discussed the international situation and contemporary issues and exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific, the Ukraine conflict, the Gaza situation, Afghanistan and Central Asia, BRICS, SCO, G20 and the UN.
Addressing a joint press conference with Mr. Jaishankar in Moscow, Lavrov had said he had talked with Jaishankar about the prospects of military and technical cooperation, including the manufacturing of modern weaponry. “We also have [taken] specific steps in this area,” Lavrov had said. Jaishankar had also called on Putin, who invited Modi to visit Russia. “We know the position of Prime Minister Modi and have talked about this more than once. I am referring to his position, his attitude to complicated processes, including hot spots, the situation in Ukraine. I have repeatedly informed him about the situation around this conflict. I know about his striving to resolve this problem through peaceful means,” Putin had said.”I ask you to give him my best wishes and please tell him that we are waiting for him in Russia,” Putin told Jaishankar, adding, “Although I know that India next year will have a busy political schedule” (referring to the 2024 Lok Sabha Election). The summit between PM Narendra Modi and Putin is the highest institutional dialogue mechanism in the strategic partnership between the two sides. So far, 21 annual summits have taken place alternatively in India and Russia. The last summit took place in New Delhi in December 2021. Putin also said that the trade turnover between Russia and India is growing, particularly on account of crude oil and high technology areas.The ties between India and Russia remained strong notwithstanding Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
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