MOSCOW – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met PresidentVladimir Putin in Russia’s Black Sea coastal city Sochi for an informalsummit.
“India and Russia have been friends for a long time. Thankful to PresidentPutin for inviting me for an informal meeting at Sochi,” said Modi.
The Prime Minister said that Russia played a major role in helping Indiaget a permanent membership in SCO. “We are working together onInternational North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and BRICS.”
“In my political career also, Russia and you (Putin) are verysignificant…As the chief minister of Gujarat, it was my first meetingwith a foreign leader. Hence, the beginning of my international relationsstarted from you and Russia,” Modi said.
“Since then it has been 18 years, I have got several opportunities to meetyou, to deliberate upon issues, and try to take the relations of India andRussia forward,” he added.
It is Modi’s second informal summit in as many months as he held talks withChinese President Xi Jingpin in China’s Wuhan in a similar format lastmonth.
The issues on the table include economic impact on India and Russia in thewake of the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, the situation inAfghanistan, Syria, the threat of terrorism and matters relating toupcoming SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) and BRICS summits.
The two leaders may also deliberate on extending Indo-Russia civil nuclearcooperation in third countries, possible areas for cooperation for theInternational North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) project, India’sengagement with five-nation Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and thesituation in the Korean peninsula.
They said President Putin will be in India later this year for the annualsummit during which key bilateral issues will be deliberated upon.
The annual summit talks between the top leadership of the two countrieshave been taking place alternately in Moscow and New Delhi since 2000.