During a visit to Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his anticipation of meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon. The remarks came as Putin hosted India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, at the Kremlin amidst Jaishankar’s two-day diplomatic mission in the Russian capital. Putin conveyed his regards to Modi through Jaishankar and suggested that their next encounter could coincide with an event related to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Additionally, there is an expectation of Putin’s visit to New Delhi for the upcoming BRICS leaders’ summit scheduled for September.
Highlighting the strengthening economic ties between Russia and India, Putin noted the significant increase in bilateral trade. He pointed out that Russia has been augmenting its fertiliser exports to India and expressed Moscow’s willingness to further enhance these supplies. This development is part of broader efforts to deepen economic linkages between the two nations.
In earlier discussions, Jaishankar engaged with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. Their talks focused on enhancing bilateral trade and fostering economic cooperation. Manturov outlined possibilities for Russia to localize nuclear fuel production within India, signaling a potential area of collaboration that could further solidify the economic partnership between the two countries.
During his visit, Jaishankar is also slated to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. These discussions are expected to address a wide range of issues, including bilateral relations and current regional and global developments. The meetings underscore the ongoing dialogue and cooperation between India and Russia in navigating geopolitical challenges.