External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar concluded a two-day official visit to Russia (August 23–24), where he held high-level discussions with Russian leadership including President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on bilateral cooperation, regional hotspots, and global challenges.

Following a meeting with his Russian counterpart on Monday (local time), Jaishankar shared in a post on X: "A wide-ranging conversation this evening with FM Sergey Lavrov of Russia." He added, "Discussed our bilateral cooperation, regional hotspots, global challenges and multilateral issues."

During his visit, Jaishankar also called on President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, where he handed over a personal letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a post on X, the External Affairs Minister noted: "Pleased to call on President Vladimir Putin of Russia in Moscow today. Handed over a personal message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Briefed him on the deliberation held under the 27th IRIGC-TEC, reviewing our cooperation across a wide range of domains. Value his guidance in that regard. Also discussed regional and global issues of importance."

Opening his in-person remarks to President Putin, Jaishankar stated: "Let me begin by conveying the good wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has given me a personal communication which I would like to hand over to you."

He further detailed the outcomes of the 27th India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), which he co-chaired alongside Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov.

"We had a meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission. I think overall we have a good report to give to you. I think our economic cooperation, trade, energy, fertilisers, 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," Jaishankar remarked during the meeting.

Highlighting the upcoming diplomatic calendar, Jaishankar conveyed: "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 concluded by adding, "And once again, I thank you for receiving me today."

Welcoming the Indian envoy, President Putin emphasized that the visit underscored the longstanding relationship between Russia and India. He requested Jaishankar to convey his best wishes to Prime Minister Modi and expressed anticipation for their upcoming engagements.

"And at the beginning of our conversation, I would like to ask you to convey my best wishes to Modi. I hope to see him soon, as we planned, within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation very soon. Our schedule is such that we will probably be able to meet again this year," President Putin stated.

Putin also acknowledged the IRIGC-TEC deliberations between Jaishankar and First Deputy Prime Minister Manturov, noting key focus areas including energy, fertilizer supplies, nuclear energy, and high-technology sectors.

Source: ANI