External affairs minister S Jaishankar met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Monday, with the Russian leader expressing hope of meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the near future.
Jaishankar, who arrived in Moscow on Sunday, is on a two-day visit to Russia. It comes ahead of Putin's expected visit to New Delhi for the BRICS leaders' summit on September 12-13.
According to the Russian news agency TASS, Putin said he hoped his future meeting with PM Modi would happen within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). He asked the EAM to convey his best wishes to Modi.
Putin told Jaishankar that Russia is increasing fertiliser supplies to India and is ready to continue doing so. The Russian President’s statement also highlighted that the trade turnover between Moscow and India has increased this year.
{{/usCountry}}Putin told Jaishankar that Russia is increasing fertiliser supplies to India and is ready to continue doing so. The Russian President’s statement also highlighted that the trade turnover between Moscow and India has increased this year.
{{/usCountry}}Russia may localise nuclear fuel production in India
Earlier in the day, the foreign minister held talks with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov on ways to further expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
"The India-Russia partnership has consistently demonstrated resilience and adaptability," Jaishankar said at a meeting of the bilateral intergovernmental commission on cooperation, which he co-chaired with Manturov.
"Even amidst a complex international landscape, our engagement has continued to deepen, reflecting the mutual interest and confidence that define our bilateral partnership," Jaishankar added.
Manturov announced during the meeting that Moscow could localise nuclear fuel production in India.
The Jaishankar-Lavrov meeting
During his visit, Jaishankar is also scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to exchange views on regional and global issues, the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
The visit comes a month after Jaishankar and Lavrov met in Manila on July 22 on the sidelines of ASEAN-related ministerial meetings, where they reviewed bilateral relations and exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict and the situation in West Asia.
Jaishankar had also reiterated India's "strong concern" regarding the safety of Indian seafarers in the region during his last meeting with Lavrov.