Moscow: The Kremlin announced on Tuesday that the final arrangements for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia were being finalised. The Kremlin also highlighted that deepening trade and economic cooperation would be among the key focuses of the visit.
According to Kremlin official Yuri Ushakov, an assistant to the Russian president, indicated that plans for the visit are progressing, with specific dates to be announced once mutually agreed upon. The potential visit aims to bolster the longstanding bilateral relations characterized by a special privileged strategic partnership between the two nations.
Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, emphasised Russia’s deep-rooted friendship with India, describing it as a relationship of special privilege and strategic partnership. He expressed optimism that bilateral relations would further strengthen following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s anticipated visit to Russia.
“We have relations of special privilege, strategic partnership with India. India is a longtime friend of Russia. We cooperate in so many areas, and I think that will be a substantive conversation on the whole range of issues that our countries cooperate on,” Nebenzia said.
This trip will be PM Modi’s first visit bilateral foreign visit in his third term as Prime Minister.
Earlier in March, the Kremlin had announced that Modi had an outstanding invitation to visit Russia, confirming that a meeting between PM Modi and President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to take place.
The last bilateral annual summit between India and Russia took place in 2021 when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited India. During that summit, the primary discussions revolved around the situation in Afghanistan and the India-China standoff following the Galwan Valley clash.
PM Modi last met Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit at Samarkand in Uzbekistan on September 16, 2022, when he called him to follow the path of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the Ukraine conflict.
