Moscow [Russia], July 9 : Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov asserted that the visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Russia has been crucial in terms of discussing global and regional matters as well as reviewing bilateral ties.
PM Modi, who is on an official visit to Russia, held a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
While speaking with ANI, Alipov asserted the visit is crucial in terms of reviewing bilateral relationships between both countries. He said, "We have welcomed the Prime Minister in Russia. This visit is significant in terms of discussing global matters and regional matters, most of all in terms of reviewing bilateral relationships which are very extended."
Alipov added further, "We have a lot of prospective projects in the pipeline which have been discussed and are being implemented already, be it in oil and gas, defence, or culture. In every sphere, we have a great scope of bilateral engagements and specific programmes to take the relationship forward and implement the existing projects."
The Russian Ambassador to India also said that this particular summit both leaders are having is the most significant and expressed hope for PM Modi's participation in the BRICS summit.
He said, "We are looking forward to continuing the annual exchange of summits, the practice that has been going on for the last 20 years."
On being asked if there would be any Russian delegation visit to India, Alipov said, "We are looking forward to a high-level delegation visit from Russia to India."
The official also spoke about Indian Nationals seeking discharge from the Russian Army and admitted that the issue is a matter of concern for the Indian side. "We know that it is a matter of concern for the Indian side, we are very open in our dialogue on this particular issue, we are very attentive to Indian concerns, and of course, we don't want to see Indians dying in the battlefield."
Alipov also said that the nation has never recruited and do not recruit Indians in the Russian army. "This particular problem is a problem involving those agencies, mediators and shoddy people who mislead Indian nationals in the first place. We have discussed and we are attentive to Indian concerns," Alipov said.
On Monday, PM Modi reached in Moscow for a two-day official visit at the invitation of Russian President Putin to attend the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit. PM Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the airport and Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov received PM Modi at the Vnukovo-II Airport.
Notably, PM Modi and Putin have met 16 times over the past 10 years. The last in-person meeting between the two leaders took place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Uzbekistan's Samarkand in 2022.
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