MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is devoting his “personal attention” to developing bilateral relations, while noting that the turnover of trade between the two nations has increased this year.
Putin made the remarks while receiving External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar at the Kremlin in Moscow during the latter’s two-day official visit to Russia.
The Russian President said that India and Russia have maintained relations across virtually all areas, including governmental ties, interparliamentary cooperation and economic engagement, noting that the EAM’s visit reflects the strong India-Russia ties that have developed over several decades.
“Your visit today underscores the level of relations that has 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.
Highlighting the rise in bilateral trade this year after a slight decline last year, Putin attributed the growth partly to PM Modi’s focus on strengthening 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 said.
The Russian president also asked Jaishankar to convey his best wishes to Prime Minister Modi and expressed hope of meeting him soon at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
“And at the beginning of our conversation, I would like to ask you to convey my best wishes to Modi. I hope to see him soon, as we planned, within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation very soon. Our schedule is such that we will probably be able to meet again this year,” Putin said.
Putin also referred to the discussions between Jaishankar and Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov under the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission, saying the two sides had already worked on several important issues.
“We are very glad to see you, esteemed Minister. I know that you and your Russian counterpart, Manturov, who heads the Russian part of the intergovernmental commission, have already worked hard and have undoubtedly discussed the most important issues,” he said.
The Russian president specifically highlighted fertiliser supplies to India, saying Moscow was working to address the issue for Indian farmers and was ready to increase supplies further, adding that the cooperation in nuclear energy, high-technology sectors and other areas was also on the agenda and progressing steadily.
“There are many of them. One of these issues is not only energy – it is, of course, fertiliser supplies. We are doing everything to address this issue for Indian farmers, for agriculture; we are increasing these supplies and are ready to do so further,” Putin said.
“And all other issues related to nuclear energy, cooperation in high-tech sectors, and other areas – they are all on the agenda, and progress is progressing quite steadily,” he added.
From the Russian side, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Maxim Oreshkin, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov and Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov were present at the meeting.
From the Indian side, Ambassador of India to Russia Vinay Kumar and Director of the Department of Eurasian Affairs of the Ministry of External Affairs Mayank Singh participated.
Jaishankar is on a two-day official visit to Russia from August 23 to 24 at the invitation of First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov.
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar co-chaired the 27th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) with Manturov.
The India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission (IRIGC) has two divisions: the Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar from India and First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov from Russia; and the Military and Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC), headed by the Defence Ministers of the two countries.
The bilateral relationship between the two countries has remained strong and stable over the years.
MEA underlined how the India-Russia partnership has been among the steadiest in the contemporary era, with a shared commitment to a multipolar world as well as to expanding engagement beyond the traditional military, nuclear and space cooperation.
