New Delhi
India and Russian today signed 28 agreements during the brief visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to New Delhi, where he held the 21st annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two leaders held one-to-one discussions on the mutual relations at Delhi’s Hyderabad House. Putin left soon after the summit.
Briefing the media on the summit, Foreign secretary Harshvarsdhan Shringla said President Putin's visit was short but highly productive and substantive.
He said there were excellent discussions between the two leaders.
Shringla said the 28 agreements and memorandum of understanding signed during the visit include those between Government to Government and business to business.
He said during the talk between Putin and Modi, enhancing bilateral trade and investment figured prominently. ‘This year, we've noticed an encouraging trend of growth in our trades compared to last year. Both sides are looking forward to the continued increase in trade & investment trajectory.”
“We're looking at intensifying our Buddhist things with Russia. There're 15 million Buddhists in Russia. This community is keen on looking at India for pilgrimage and other areas of interest. So the cultural cooperation is also important for both countries,” Shringla said. Though Putin in his initial remarks had spoken about his concerns about Afghanistan, Shringla said Afghanistan did not figure in the talks between Putin and Modi.
He said, “the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to visit India for our annual summit is an indication of the importance he attaches to the bilateral relationship and his rapport with PM Narendra Mod”
On the trade and investment side, there are some specific plans which include long-term corporation in the areas of inland waterways, fertilizers, coking coals, steel, skilled manpower. Cooking coals emerged as an important area of the corporation.
We have expressed interest in further investments in the oil and gas sector, as well as in the area of petrochemicals
PM Modi thanked President Putin for the welfare of the Indian community in Russia, especially during the COVID pandemic. Both leaders discussed the need for mutual recognition of vaccine certification to enable easier travel by our citizens to each other's countries.
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