New Delhi, 6 December 2021 (TDI): The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Defense Minister, Sergey Shoygu; arrived in New Delhi to meet their counterparts from India, on 6 December. The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, will arrive later to the Indian capital and has on its agenda to be part of the Russia-India 21st Annual Summit.
Lavrov and Shoygu arrived in New Delhi to participate in the 2+2 meeting with their Indian counterparts. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of India, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, welcomed his Russian counterpart. Jaishankar then added that he looked forward to discussing the state of their bilateral cooperation.
LAVROV’S OPENING REMARKS
Lavrov expressed in his opening remarks that he was pleased to be part of the first 2+2 meeting with their Indian counterparts. According to Lavrov, President Putin, and Prime Minister Modi, approved the 2+2 initiative.
Lavrov also expressed his hope towards the format meeting to become an effective platform to discuss regional, and international issues. He then added that the meeting will help both countries to deepen their mutual understanding, and also to strengthen their privileged strategic partnership.
Lavrov also mentioned that Russia and India have similar visions of the model of more just, democratic, and polycentric world order. According to Lavrov, both countries advocate compliance with international law, and also to strengthen communication collective principles.
He then added that both countries also adhere to the principles of non-interference in the domestic affairs of sovereign states. Lavrov also mentioned that both countries have great respect for culture and civilization diversities in the world.
According to him, this common ground serves as a foundation for productive work within this new dialogue format. Finally, Lavrov thanked their Indian counterparts for their hospitality and for hosting the 2+2 talks, and the Summit.
SUMMIT BETWEEN RUSSIAN PRESIDENT AND INDIAN PRIME MINISTER
The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, will be part of the Russia-India 21st Annual Summit. According to the Spokesman of the External Affairs Ministry, Arindam Bagchi stated that in the meeting, both Heads of State will discuss defense, and trade relations.
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, announced via Twitter, that his Russian counterpart arrived in the capital. According to Modi, the Summit will strengthen the Russia-India Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.
He also added that the initiatives that both Heads of State will discuss will increase their scope of cooperation to new areas. During the meetings, the representatives of the two countries expect to sign several agreements, and also to strengthen their trade deals.
During the meeting, Putin and Modi adopted a Joint Statement Russia–India: Partnership for Peace, Progress and Prosperity.
REMARKS OF THE INDIAN PRIME MINISTER
Modi mentioned that the visit of the Russian President was the second visit abroad that Putin made in almost two years. According to Modi, the efforts made by Russia to make that visit possible, spoke of the love from the Russian President to India.
He then added that despite the challenges of the COVID-19, the development of Russia-India remains at the same pace. Modi also mentioned that their privileged strategic partnership continues to strengthen.
Modi also remarked that in the fight against the COVID-19, Russia and India are cooperating in several fields in their agenda. According to him, those fields are regarding the testing of vaccine production and humanitarian aid. Their cooperation is also to help people to return to their homeland.
The Prime Minister also remarked why 2021 has been an important year for their bilateral relations. According to Modi, 2021 has been important for Russia-India relations because they celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 1971 Treaty on Peace, Friendship, and Cooperation between India and the Soviet Union. Modi mentioned that both countries also celebrated twenty years of strategic partnership.
Modi remarked that even though there have been changes, and the emergence of geopolitical formations, their bilateral relations have not changed. According to Modi, Russia and India cooperate and treat each other with special care. He described the model of their bilateral relations as a unique and trust-based model of interstate friendship.
Modi also mentioned the results of the 2+2 meeting, with the Foreign Affairs Ministers and the Defense Ministers of both countries. According to him, thanks to the 2+2, the representatives of both countries launched another mechanism. The goal of that mechanism is to strengthen their cooperation.
The Prime Minister also remarked that both countries have been in regular contact to discuss Afghanistan and other issues. He also referred that the interregional side of their partnership began at the Eastern Economic Forum; and at their summit in Vladivostok.
That side of their partnership is turning into concrete cooperation between the Russian Far East and the states of India.
ECONOMIC COOPERATION ACCORDING TO MODI’S REMARKS
The Prime Minister also mentioned that regarding the economy, both adopted a long-term vision to strengthen their relations. Both countries set a target to reach 30 billion in bilateral trade by 2025. Another target was also to increase their mutual investment to 50 billion.
Modi then added that the agreements that both concluded today will be tools to expand their cooperation. He also mentioned that both strengthened their defense cooperation through joint development and co-production. The Make in India Program strengthened that cooperation.
Modi stated that their cooperation in the fields of space and civil nuclear energy is also expanding. Modi then extended his congratulations to his Russian counterpart for receiving observer status in the Non-Aligned Movement. The Minister also congratulated Putin for becoming a dialogue partner within the Indian Ocean Association.
REMARKS OF THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT
The Russian President thanked his Indian counterpart for the invitation and expressed that even though last year wasn’t possible; it was their turn to visit India. Putin mentioned that in 2020, trade declined more than 17%. He then mentioned that during the first nine months of 2021, the trade recovered and grew more than 38%.
According to Putin, this recovery was proof that it was possible to achieve their trade targets. The President also remarked that both countries cooperate in promising areas, like energy, technology, and space.
Putin then mentioned that one important aspect in their agenda is that India and Russia work in the military-technical field; due to their engagement to develop high-tech military products and production. According to Putin, another important issue in their common agenda is the environment.
Regarding their green agenda, both included their economy and development proceeded from the needs of the citizens; and to improve the living standards of the citizens. Putin also remarked that both countries share a common agenda about terrorism, drugs, and organized crime.
About Afghanistan, Putin mentioned that both share the same concern. Finally, he referred to the 2+2 meeting, and how it shows that their relations continue to develop in the international arena.
