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PM Modi meet Russian NSA Nikolai Patrushev, discusses Afghanistan situation
Earlier in the day, Patrushev met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the secretary of the Russian Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, on Tuesday to discuss stronger coordination between India and Russia and the means to enhance regional stability. The present condition of the country was also brought up during the course of their discussion.
“Was happy to meet Mr. Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of Russia. His visit allowed useful discussions between both sides on important regional developments,” PM Modi said in a tweet.
PM Modi and Patrushev discussed India-Russia cooperation along with several international issues, news agency ANI reported quoting Russian Embassy. “The two sides reaffirmed their intention to strengthen coordination in the field of enhancing regional stability, including the Afghan direction,” the statement said.
The possibility of further developing the special and privileged strategic partnership and deepening political dialogue at the highest level was also discussed, apart from the prospects for strengthening interaction in multilateral formats, including the SCO and BRICS. Talks were held regarding cooperation in trade and the economic sphere.
Earlier in the day, Patrushev met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar. Doval and Patrushev held high-level consultations on the latest developments in Afghanistan. The Doval-Patrushev meet was the first detailed and extensive meeting between India and Russia regarding the Afghanistan situation following the Taliban takeover of the war-torn country. Russia and India expressed concern over developments in Afghanistan. Doval and Patrushev stressed that Afghanistan should not become a hotspot for spreading terrorism in the region.
Richard Moore, the head of the UK Secret Intelligence Service or MI6 and CIA director William Burns met Doval earlier this week to discuss the latest developments in Afghanistan. India emphasised Pakistan’s links to the Taliban and expressed concern about whether the Taliban will be accountable for the pledges it made following the takeover of Afghanistan.
