Marking the culmination of a historic three-day trip to Russia, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar reiterated the strong and long-lasting nature of India-Russia strategic partnership.
He co-chaired the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) during his visit and held high-level talks with the senior-most Russian leadership.
Between August 19 and 21, EAM Jaishankar had meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in addition to engagement with Russian scholars and policy think tanks.
In his meeting with President Putin, Dr. Jaishankar "conveyed personal greetings of the Prime Minister and discussed key issues of the bilateral agenda and contemporary global issues of mutual interest, including the developments related to Ukraine," as per a Ministry of External Affairs press release on Friday.
On 20th August, the EAM co-chaired the 26th IRIGC-TEC session with the Deputy PM Manturov. The two countries emphasised the need for "addres[ing] tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade, remov[ing] logistics bottlenecks, promot[ing] connectivity, effect[ing] payment mechanisms smoothly, and finalis[ing] the Programme of Economic Cooperation till 2030."
They called for the early conclusion of the India-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement and ongoing interaction between Indian and Russian enterprises as crucial to achieving the updated bilateral trade goal of $100 billion by 2030. Energy cooperation and enabling the mobility of Indian skilled professionals, especially in the IT, construction, and engineering sectors, were some of the other topics discussed. The session ended with the signing of the Protocol for the 26th IRIGC-TEC.
Subsequently, both leaders spoke at the India-Russia Business Forum, which "witnessed representation from a large cross-section of stakeholders," underlining the importance of increased coordination between the Forum and IRIGC Working Groups.
On August 21, EAM Jaishankar conducted detailed talks with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, reflecting on the entire gamut of India-Russia bilateral relations, including trade, connectivity, defence, military-technical cooperation, and the early opening of new Indian consulates in Kazan and Yekaterinburg.
The talks reiterated the two countries' faith in international multilateralism through forums like the G20, BRICS, and SCO, sharing a common focus on the imperative of UN Security Council reforms. "EAM underscored the urgency to enlarge and activate the UN Security Council to represent modern-day realities," the MEA release observed.
Regional issues, such as developments in Ukraine, the Middle East, West Asia, and Afghanistan, were also discussed. EAM Jaishankar reaffirmed India's commitment to dialogue and diplomacy but did express apprehensions about Indians in the Russian Army and urged the early disposal of pending cases.
On counter-terror, both nations committed to "jointly combat all manifestations and forms of terrorism." EAM expressed India's strong position, restating its "zero‑tolerance policy against terrorism and its sovereign right to protect Indian citizens from cross-border terrorism," as per the MEA.
The visit ended on discussions regarding preparations for the next Annual Summit between Indian and Russian leadership. EAM Jaishankar also invited Foreign Minister Lavrov to visit India at a convenient time.
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