Foreign Minister S Jaishankar’s five-day visit to Moscow has concluded. This visit has given a new lease of life to the relations between India and Russia. This is the first visit of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to Russia after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war. During this period, both the countries have also given a new dimension to their strategic partnership. Jaishankar met the Russian President, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other Russian leaders. Also important bilateral talks took place between India and Russia. The External Affairs Ministry on Saturday said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Russia has provided an opportunity to review the ongoing bilateral cooperation and further strengthen the privileged strategic partnership.
Let us tell you that Jaishankar was on a tour of Russia from 25 to 29 December. During this, he met Russian President Vladimir Putin and held discussions with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov. He also met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. The External Affairs Minister had a wide-ranging exchange of views on trade and economic issues, energy, defence, connectivity, cultural ties, people-to-people contacts and cooperation between the two countries. They also shared their views on global and regional developments, including multilateral cooperation.
Nuclear energy agreement was the most important
During Jaishankar’s visit to Russia, three documents related to Kudankulam nuclear power plants, an MoU on cooperation in medicine and healthcare and a protocol on Foreign Office consultations were signed. “The visit of the External Affairs Minister to Russia provides an opportunity to review the ongoing bilateral cooperation and further strengthen the privileged strategic partnership between the two countries,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. “India-Russia relations remain strong and stable based on strategic, geopolitical interests and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries,” it said.
On Wednesday, during Jaishankar’s meeting with Putin in the Kremlin, the Russian President invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Russia next year. Putin told Jaishankar, “We will be happy to see our friend Mr. Prime Minister Modi in Russia.” So far, 21 annual summits have been held alternately between India and Russia. The last summit was held in New Delhi in December 2021.