'Solid package' of documents being prepared for PM Modi-Putin Summit: Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov

Moscow, Aug 21 (IANS) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that he and External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar held detailed discussions regarding upcoming events, including the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India later this year, as both sides plan to prepare a "solid package" of documents for the Putin-PM Modi summit.

While addressing a joint press conference with EAM Jaishankar in Moscow following their talks, Lavrov stated, "We discussed the upcoming events which are part of this dialogue including preparation for the visit of the President of the Russian Federation to India which will take place by the end of this year. We have plans to prepare to come up with a solid package of documents for this summit and undoubtedly we have a good tradition."

Highlighting the longstanding defence cooperation between both countries, Lavrov noted that the two nations hold joint exercises regularly and have solid military ties. "We have good traditions in the field of military cooperation. We hold joint exercises, and in the field of military and technical cooperation, which is also underpinned by our shared history," he stated.

The Russian Foreign Minister asserted that he and EAM Jaishankar also discussed the situation in Ukraine. He also informed the Indian counterpart regarding the ongoing talks with the participation of the US.

"As for the international topics, we discussed the situation in the context of what is happening in Ukraine, following the phone conversation between President of the Russian Federation with Prime Minister of India, we informed in detail our Indian guests about the current state of discussions which are ongoing with participation of our US partners in particular in the context of the talks held in Alaska when President Putin followed the invitation of President Trump and paid a visit to the United States of America. And, we also spoke about the fact that there is an interest in a rapid settlement and we discussed how this willingness to reach an agreement could serve the legitimate interests of all participants," Lavrov said.

During the joint press conference, Jaishankar stated that he and Lavrov reviewed the entire gamut of India-Russia ties and termed the bilateral ties among the "steadiest of the major relationships" in the world after the Second World War.

"Geo-political convergence, leadership contacts and popular sentiment remain its key drivers. On trade and economic cooperation, I followed up with Minister Lavrov the proceedings of yesterday’s meeting of the Inter-Governmental Commission that I chaired with First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. We reaffirmed our shared ambition to expand bilateral trade in a balanced and sustainable manner, including by increasing India’s exports to Russia.

"This requires swiftly addressing non-tariff barriers and regulatory impediments. Enhancing Indian exports to Russia in sectors like pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and textiles will certainly help to correct the current imbalance. Steps to ensure long-term supply of fertilizers was also taken up. Indian skilled workers, especially in IT, construction, and engineering, can address the labor needs in Russia and deepen collaboration. Sustaining energy cooperation through trade and investments is also important," the EAM said in his remarks during the joint press interaction with Lavrov.

Both ministers also spoke about the connectivity initiatives, including the International North‑South Transport Corridor, the Chennai–Vladivostok eastern maritime corridor, and cooperation in the Northern Sea Route.

"These corridors promise to deepen economic linkages, reduce transit times, and expand trade access across Eurasia and beyond," said EAM Jaishankar.

He highlighted that the defence and military-technical cooperation between the two countries also remains robust.

"Russia supports India's Make in India goals, including through joint production and technology transfer," he said.

Both sides also discussed their joint fight against terrorism with EAM Jaishankar conveying India's strong resolve to adopt a zero‑tolerance policy against terrorism and New Delhi's sovereign right to defend its citizens against cross-border terrorism.

"The opening of two new Indian Consulates – in Kazan and Yekaterinburg – need to be fast-tracked, that was also a subject of our conversation today. These consulates will further deepen our regional outreach and enhance trade and people-to-people ties," he added.

--IANS

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