Moscow, March 31 Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has expressed that Moscow is expecting a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a bilateral summit later this year, local media reported on Tuesday.
"This year it is Russia's turn to host the Russian-Indian summit. We hope that the Indian Prime Minister will take advantage of President Vladimir Putin's invitation to pay an official visit to Russia at a convenient time," Russia's leading news agency Tass quoted Rudenko as saying on Tuesday.
He termed it "very important" for Russia and India to maintain regular, systematic contacts at various levels.
Last December, Russian President Vladimir Putin undertook a significant State Visit to India. The visit, spread over two packed days in the national capital, featured summit-level talks, ceremonial engagements and a series of bilateral discussions covering defence, economic cooperation, energy ties and regional security.
During the visit, President Putin held formal talks with PM Modi, with both leaders reviewing the state of the India-Russia partnership as it completes 25 years since being designated a Strategic Partnership.
The discussions were followed by the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, during which the two sides released a Joint Statement outlining priorities for the coming years. Cooperation in energy, nuclear power, trade, defence and technology featured prominently.
President Droupadi Murmu also hosted Putin at a banquet in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
In 2024, PM Modi travelled to Russia twice, where he attended the 22nd Russia-India Summit in July and later participated in the BRICS Summit held in Kazan in October.
Russia has been a longstanding and time-tested partner for India. Development of India-Russia relations has been a key pillar of India's foreign policy.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), since the signing of the 'Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership' in 2000, ties between the two nations have acquired a qualitatively new character with increased levels of cooperation in almost all sectors, including political, security, defence, trade and economy, science and technology, culture, and people-to-people ties. During Russian President Putin's visit to India in 2010, the Strategic Partnership was elevated to the level of 'Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership'.
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