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Updated December 6th, 2021 at 20:55 IST

India-Russia Summit: Read key takeaways from PM Modi-Putin's opening remarks

In his opening remarks, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia perceives India as a great power a friendly nation and a time tested friend.

Reported by: Kamal Joshi
PM Modi
Image: @MEAIndia | Image:self
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Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in India for a day-long summit. He was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House. PM Modi appreciated Putin for coming to India and said that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no change in the pace of growth of India-Russia ties. "The relation between India and Russia is truly a unique and reliable model of interstate friendship," he said.

 "Despite the challenges posed by COVID, there is no change in the pace of growth of India-Russia relations. Our special and privileged strategic partnership continues to become stronger," PM Modi said.

PM asserted that in the last few decades the world has witnessed many fundamental changes and different kins of geopolitical equations have emerged but the friendship of India and Russia has remained constant. "Both countries cooperated strongly during the pandemic - from vaccine trials and production, from assistance to returning nationals to respective nations.," PM Modi said.

"The first 2+2 dialogue between our defence and foreign ministers has taken place. It starts a new mechanism to improve our behavioural cooperation. We have been in constant touch on Afghanistan and other regional issues," he added.

The Prime Minister informed that India and Russia are adopting a long-term vision to strengthen partnerships in economic affairs. "By 2025, we have set a target of trade worth $30 billion and investment worth $50 billion," he said.

He said under the Make in India, co-development and co-production are strengthening in the defence sector. "We are also heading closer in cooperation in space and civil nuclear sectors."

Opening remarks by Russian President at 21st India-Russia Annual Summit

Dear Prime Minister, Dear Friends

I am so very happy to be able to travel here to visit the friendly country of India by holding summits every year, taking turns in India and in Russia. 

Unfortunately we had to skip last year because of the pandemic, still it is our turn to travel to India so I would like to thank you for your invitation.

We perceive India as a great power, a friendly nation and a time tested friend. Relations between our countries are growing and are looking into the future. Last year the trade has decreased by 17%, this year in the first nine months of this year, we see an increase by 38%. And naturally we have every opportunity to reach the levels of trade that we have spoken before. And the same applies to investments. Right now the mutual investments stand at about 38 billion with more investments coming from the Russian side. 

We are actually cooperating and working on very important and promising matters. That applies to the energy sector and high tech including space and I think the programmes that we will be discussing here today will be implemented fully including the training of Indian spacemen, cosmonauts. 

We also cooperate greatly in military and technical spheres like with no other country. By that I mean we develop high technologies together as well as produce in India. We also have common important agenda that is of interest to both India and Russia and by that I mean environmental cooperation. We think about the green agenda and about the development of our economies, but naturally we proceed from the reality and the needs of our economies i.e. to consistently increase the level of the lives of our citizens. 

We continue to cooperate jointly on global agenda and as you have said indeed our positions are quite similar and coincide. Naturally we are concerned about everything that has got to do with terrorism. I mean fight against terrorism also drug trafficking, organised crime. And with that regard naturally we are concerned about the developments and situation in Afghanistan. 

As we have our colleagues with us today, I mean the Foreign Minister, the Defence Minister after their inaugural meeting that means we continue to develop our cooperation on international agenda and even military sphere. We hold joint military exercises both on the Indian and Russian territory and would like to thank you for your attention for this component of our cooperation. And we intend to work further on that matter. Once again thank you very much for your invitation.

Modi-Putin Summit: Key takeaways

  • Russia's role in Make in India highlighted
  • Strengthening trade ties reiterated
  • Unique friendship underlined
  • Deeping defence ties underlined
  • Russia views India as a great power
  • Firm action against terrorism

Putin calls India 'a time-tested friend'

In his opening remarks, President Putin said that Russia perceives India as a great power a friendly nation and a time tested friend, adding that the relations between the two nations are growing.

"It gives me great pleasure to visit India. Trade between the two countries fell by 17% last year, but this year saw a 38% increase in trade in the first nine months," Putin said.

"Currently, mutual investments stand at about 38 billion with a bit more investment coming from the Russian side. We cooperate greatly in the military and technical sphere like no other country. We develop high technologies together as well as produce in India," the Russian President added.

Speaking on regional issues, Putin said that he is concerned with developments in Afghanistan. "Naturally, we are concerned about everything that has to do with terrorism. Fight against terrorism is also a fight against drug trafficking and organised crime. With that regard, we are concerned about the developments of the situation in Afghanistan," he said.

Image: @MEAIndia

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Published December 6th, 2021 at 19:07 IST

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