Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that the action plan for strengthening strategic cooperation with India up to 2030 should be agreed upon soon.
Speaking at the plenary session of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), he presented Moscow's vision for deepening economic partnership with its major global partners.
We have agreed to draw up long-term cooperation plans with major partners," Putin stated, naming India among them. "Action plans, including with countries like India, should be drawn up in the near future," he said.
Emphasizing energy as a core area of focus, Putin stated, "We have already established a task to increase oil and gas export. For this, we will build partnership relations, eliminate the barriers to trade, search for new niches in the markets, create infrastructure, and strengthen investment cooperation."
SPIEF this year, which is sometimes called the 'Russian Davos,' is based on the theme "Shared Values: The Foundation of Growth in a Multipolar World."
Responding to speculation regarding the involvement of Russia and China in altering the balance of global power, Putin ruled out an engineered change of world order. "There is a new world order forming naturally, as the sun is rising. There is no way to stop it, our function is to legalise this process and make it possible, making it develop in a more balanced manner favorable to the interests of the overwhelming majority of countries," he said.
Speaking on behalf of India at the forum was Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who has portfolios for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and IT. Vaishnaw presented keynote addresses at two significant sessions in the conference.
In a conversation on 'The Future of Artificial Intelligence', he presented India's advancements in AI technologies and reaffirmed the commitment of the nation to responsible, inclusive innovation. Addressing the India-Russia Business Forum, he also emphasized the increasing economic cooperation between the two countries and the need to explore new areas of collaborative sectors.
Vaishnaw also had meetings with various Russian federal ministers, leading industrialists, technology entrepreneurs, and investors. The discussions were about increasing collaboration in critical sectors like logistics, transportation, infrastructure, railways, IT, and AI.
The interactions represent "India's intent to form strategic partnerships with Russia, specifically in technology-oriented and infrastructure sectors, in line with the vision of Self-Reliant India (Atmanirbhar Bharat) and digital transformation globally," said a release from the Indian Embassy in Moscow.
His visit, the release added, is an important step towards further cementing the age-old India-Russia relationship, setting the stage for joint progress and innovation.
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