Moscow

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday held comprehensive discussions with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia. He said “(we) reviewed the entire gamut of our steady and time-tested relationship, exchanged perspectives from our vantage points on global and regional developments.”

Jaishankar is on a two day visit to Moscow for holding talks with the Russian leaders well before Indian assumes the leadership of G-20.

Taking to Twitter Jaishankar said he also had a “productive meeting with Co-chair of the Inter-Governmental Commission Deputy PM Denis Manturov. Discussed strengthening a durable and balanced partnership. Explored cooperation in trade, investments, energy, fertilisers, pharma, agriculture and shipping.”

In his opening remarks at his meeting with Lavrov, Jaishankar - who earlier in the day arrived in Moscow on a two-day visit to Russia - said that "there have been strong and continuing contacts between our governments at various levels".

"Our meeting is devoted to assessing our ties, exchanging perspectives on global situation and what it means to our respective interests.

"Covid, trade difficulties have taken a toll on global economy. We are now seeing consequences of Ukraine conflict on top of that," he added.

"Where bilateral ties are concerned, our objective is to fashion a contemporary, balanced, mutually beneficial and long-term engagement," Jaishankar said on the meeting.

"There are more perennial issues of terrorism and climate change, both of which have a disruptive impact on progress and prosperity," he noted.

He further added that India and Russia engage each other in increasingly multi-polar and re-balanced world.

"We do so as two polities who have had exceptionally steady, time-tested relationship," Jaishankar stated.

Prior to this, Jaishankar had last visited Russia in July 2021 followed by the visit of Lavrov to New Delhi in April this year.