Jaishankar meets Russian President Putin in Moscow, conveys PM Modi's greetings and personal message

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on  Monday (August 24). He conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's greetings and a personal message to the Russian leader. Jaishankar, who arrived in Moscow on Sunday on a two-day visit to Russia, also discussed bilateral ties and global developments with President Putin.

It comes ahead of for the BRICS leaders' summit on September 12-13. The meeting assumes significance as India and Russia seek to deepen their economic engagement and expand cooperation in a range of areas.

During the meeting, Jaishankar said India and Russia had a strong picture of cooperation, highlighting growing economic ties in areas including trade, energy, fertilisers, nuclear cooperation and other sectors. "I think our economic cooperation, trade, energy, fertilizers, nuclear, and other dimensions as well, I'd be pleased to speak about them in detail. Overall, I think our economic cooperation has grown very significantly," he said.

Jaishankar also said the two sides had held a meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission and would brief Putin on its outcome.

He also conveyed that PM Modi looks forward to meeting Putin at the SCO Summit and welcoming him to India for the BRICS Summit.  "Prime Minister Modi looks forward to meeting you at the SCO Summit, then welcoming you to India for the BRICS Summit, and, in due course, as per your mutual convenience, having the annual summit, so we have a very strong picture of cooperation to present," he added.

Earlier, Jaishankar held talks with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov on ways to further expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation, as the two sides reviewed the India-Russia partnership.

Jaishankar, who arrived in Moscow on Sunday, is on a two-day visit to Russia.

"The India-Russia partnership has consistently demonstrated resilience and adaptability," Jaishankar said at an event which he co-chaired with Manturov.

"Even amidst a complex international landscape, our engagement has continued to deepen, reflecting the mutual interest and confidence that define our bilateral partnership," he said.

During his visit, Jaishankar is also scheduled to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss regional and global issues, the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The visit comes a month after Jaishankar and Lavrov met in Manila on July 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN-related ministerial meetings. During that meeting, the two leaders reviewed bilateral ties and exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict and the situation in West Asia. Jaishankar had also reiterated India's "strong concern" regarding the safety of Indian seafarers in the region during his last meeting with Lavrov.