Prime Minister Narendra Modi is embarking on a significant diplomatic journey, starting with a two-day visit to Moscow on July 8-9 at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. This visit marks the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit and holds crucial importance amidst the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, which began in February 2022.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, PM Modi and President Putin will comprehensively review the expansive spectrum of bilateral relations between India and Russia. They are expected to engage in discussions covering various regional and global issues of mutual interest. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov highlighted the anticipated depth of the agenda, emphasizing the strategic nature of Russian-Indian relations and the inclusion of both formal and informal dialogues during the visit.
The upcoming summit holds significance as it represents the highest institutional dialogue mechanism within the strategic partnership between the two nations. PM Modi’s last visit to Russia was in 2019 for an economic conclave in Vladivostok, making this visit a long-awaited occasion to bolster bilateral ties.
Following his engagements in Moscow, Prime Minister Modi will proceed to Austria on July 9-10 for his first-ever visit to the country. This visit comes at the invitation of Austrian President Karl Nehammer, marking over 40 years since an Indian Prime Minister last visited Austria. Modi expressed enthusiasm for discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and exploring new avenues of cooperation, underlining shared values of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law as foundational to the growing partnership between the two nations.
The back-to-back visits to Russia and Austria underscore India’s proactive diplomatic outreach to consolidate ties with key global partners amid evolving geopolitical dynamics.
Sources By Agencies
