Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Russia for his first bilateral foreign visit since assuming office for a third consecutive term. Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are holding talks for a second day, with the meeting marking the resumption of traditional summits between the two countries’ leaders, dating back to 2000.
While the first day of negotiations focused on informal discussions as Putin received Modi at his Novo-Ogaryovo presidential residence just outside Moscow, the second day will be devoted to formal talks, the Kremlin has said.
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Moscow and New Delhi have both emphasized the “great importance” of the Indian prime minister’s visit. The last bilateral meeting between Modi and Putin came in 2021, when the Russian leader visited New Delhi. The pair later met separately during the September 2022 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand. Modi’s last trip to Russia was in 2019, when he attended the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
09 July 2024
15:42 GMT
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has wrapped up his visit to Moscow for the 22nd bilateral summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Modi arrived in the Russian capital on Monday, after which he had informal talks with the Russian leader at his official residence near Moscow.
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On Tuesday, Putin and Modi held closed door talks, as well as delegation-level discussions in the Kremlin. The two sides have discussed prospects for further development of Russian-Indian relations, with a focus on economic cooperation across sectors, including oil and gas, nuclear energy, fertilizers, space and research.
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15:20 GMT
Around ten out of the 35-50 Indian citizens who were lured to the Ukraine conflict zone to fight alongside the Russian military have been repatriated with help of Russian officials, according to New Delhi’s foreign secretary, Vinay Mohan Kwatra.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi “very strongly” raised the issue during his visit to Moscow, and insisted that the rest of the Indians in the warzone be rescued “as early as possible,” the diplomat noted.
According to Indian media reports, several dozen Indians were lured to the battlefront by human traffickers, who offered them lucrative jobs. Last month, New Delhi announced that two Indian nationals had been killed, and urged its citizens to “exercise caution.”
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15:13 GMT
People in India have reacted enthusiastically to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia. Those who spoke to RT from the capital of New Delhi, as well as people in Bengaluru and Karnataka, suggested that India and Moscow share a “special bond.” Some highlighted Russia’s defense cooperation with India. For several decades, Russia has been the South Asian nation’s largest supplier of arms. One person remarked that Modi’s visit is a “positive sign” for both nations and that ties would continue to improve.
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14:54 GMT
During Narendra Modi’s state visit to Moscow, a dozen bilateral documents were signed, according to Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra.
The diplomat stated that while the joint statement covers a range of areas, the countries have also agreed on cooperation in the Far East region of Russia, as well as engagement between arbitration bodies, cooperation on combating climate change, polar and oceanic research, and promoting mutual investments. Additionally, the leaders of Russia and India agreed on a detailed program for economic cooperation until 2030.
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14:05 GMT
Russia and India have agreed on a new trade target of $100 billion by 2030, Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra told the media following high-level talks in the Kremlin. Previously, the leaders of the two countries had a target of $30 billion by 2025, which was surpassed by a significant margin during the last financial year.
In 2023, bilateral trade stood at $65 billion, having been driven by a surge in oil purchases. However, Indian exports to Russia stood at less than $5 billion, and both countries emphasized the importance of diversifying trade to make it more sustainable going forward.
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