Expecting PM Modi’s "very important, full-fledged visit" : Russia

Moscow: Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a "very important and full-fledged visit".

The meeting taking place from July 8 to 9 to hold the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit is crucial for Russia-Indian relations, Dmitry Peskov added.

The two leaders will review the entire range of multifaceted relations between the two countries and exchange views on contemporary regional and global issues of mutual interest, the Ministry of External Affairs said in New Delhi on Thursday while announcing the high-level visit.

The programme of Prime Minister Modi in Moscow will be extensive and the two leaders will be able to have informal talks, Mr Peskov said in an interview with Russia's state-run VGTRK television channel.

“Obviously, the agenda will be extensive, if not to say overbusy. It will be an official visit, and we hope that the heads will be able to talk in an informal way as well,” he said.

Mr Peskov said that Russian-Indian relations are at the level of strategic partnership. He said that there would be both one-on-one talks in the Kremlin and those involving delegations.

“We are expecting a very important and full-fledged visit, which is so crucial for Russian-Indian relations,” he was quoted as saying by the official Tass news agency.

It will be PM Modi's first visit to Russia in nearly five years. His last visit to Russia was in 2019 when he attended an economic conclave in the Far East city of Vladivostok.

The annual summit between the prime minister of India and the president of Russia is the highest institutional dialogue mechanism in the strategic partnership between the two countries.

So far, 21 annual summits have taken place alternately in India and Russia.

The last annual summit was held on December 6, 2021 in New Delhi. President Putin had visited India to attend the summit.

PTI with edits