The two
leaders discussed ways to strengthen India-Russia ties and expand cooperation
across key sectors, with the meeting focused on bilateral trade, economic
cooperation and preparations for upcoming high-level summits.
Speaking at the meeting, Dr
Jaishankar highlighted the strong and growing India-Russia partnership,
particularly in the areas of economic cooperation, trade and energy. He
conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings and handed over a personal
message from Modi. Dr Jaishankar said the two sides held a meeting of the
Intergovernmental Commission earlier in the day and described the outcome as
positive, noting that ties between India and Russia have grown significantly
across several sectors, including trade, energy, fertilizers and nuclear
cooperation.The External Affairs Minister also said Prime Minister Modi looks
forward to meeting the Russian President at the SCO Summit in Bishkek and
welcoming him to India for the BRICS Summit, adding that the two leaders are
expected to hold their annual summit at a mutually convenient time. Dr
Jaishankar said the developments reflect a strong picture of cooperation
between India and Russia.Speaking during the meeting, Russian President Putin
offered to increase fertilizer supplies to India, saying Moscow is taking steps
to support Indian farmers and the country’s agricultural sector. He also
highlighted the growth in trade between Russia and India this year, saying the
two countries are cooperating in practically all areas, reflecting the broad and
expanding nature of their bilateral partnership.Earlier in the day, the
External Affairs Minister, along with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis
Manturov, co-chaired a meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental
Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural
Cooperation in Moscow. Speaking at the event, Dr Jaishankar said the
India-Russia partnership has consistently demonstrated resilience and
adaptability, and that even amid a complex international landscape, bilateral engagement
has continued to deepen, reflecting the mutual interests and confidence that
underpin the partnership.
The Minister highlighted key
areas that need to be addressed to achieve the 100-billion-dollar bilateral
trade target by 2030, including progress on market access, the removal of
tariff and non-tariff barriers, strengthening payment mechanisms, and greater
business-to-business engagement. During the meeting, the two sides discussed
ways to further expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation and reviewed
the India-Russia partnership.Dr Jaishankar reached Moscow on a two-day visit to
Russia, during which he is also scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart
Sergey Lavrov to exchange views on regional and global issues.