During a recent visit to Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his eagerness to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the earliest opportunity. The statement came as Putin hosted India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the Kremlin amid Jaishankar’s two-day diplomatic mission to the Russian capital. Putin conveyed his best wishes to Modi through Jaishankar and anticipated that their next encounter might coincide with an event related to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
In addition, Putin is set to travel to New Delhi for the BRICS leaders’ summit scheduled for September, which could provide another occasion for the two leaders to meet. Highlighting the robust economic relations between the two nations, the Russian president noted the increasing trade volumes and emphasized that Moscow has been boosting its fertiliser exports to India. He also indicated Russia’s readiness to further expand these supplies as needed.
Earlier in the visit, Jaishankar engaged in discussions with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. The talks focused on enhancing bilateral trade and economic cooperation. Manturov mentioned the potential for Russia to localize nuclear fuel production within India, pointing to an area of significant collaboration between the two countries.
Throughout his Moscow visit, Jaishankar’s agenda also included a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. This meeting is expected to cover a wide range of topics, including the state of bilateral relations as well as current regional and global issues, underscoring the strategic dialogue between India and Russia.