India & Russia in Special Privileged Strategic Partnership

Last Updated on July 21, 2018 by Bharat Saini

India and Russia First Informal Summit in Russia’s Black Sea coastal city of Sochi on May 21, 2018 provided an occasion for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin to deepen their friendship and exchange views on Global and Regional issues, in keeping with the tradition of high level political exchanges between the two countries. Modi recalled his first visit to Russia with the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2001 and said Putin was the first World leader whom he met after becoming Chief Minister of Gujarat and added that the seeds of strategic partnership, sown by the then Prime Minister Vajpayee and President Putin have now grown into a Special Privileged Strategic Partnership, which is a very big achievement in itself and is an important factor for Global Peace and Stability. The two leaders:

• Shared the view that India and Russia have an important role to play in contributing to an open and equitable world order.
• Recognized each other’s respective roles as major powers with common responsibilities for maintaining global peace and stability.
• Held in depth discussions on major international issues.
• Agreed on the importance of building a multipolar world order.
• Decided to intensify consultation and coordination with each other, including on the Indo-Pacific Region.
• Agreed to continue working together through multilateral organisations such as the United Nations, SCO, BRICS and G-20.
• Expressed their concern over terrorism and radicalization and their determination to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
• Endorsed the importance of restoring peace and stability in Afghanistan in an atmosphere free from the threat of terrorism and agreed to work together towards achieving this objective.
• Held detailed exchange of views on the national development plans and priorities.
• Expressed satisfaction over the deep trust, mutual respect and goodwill that characterise relations between India and Russia.
• Agreed to institute a Strategic Economic Dialogue between NITI Aayog of India and Ministry of Economic Development of Russian Federation to identify greater synergy in trade and investment.
• Noted with satisfaction the expanding cooperation in the energy sector and in this regard welcomed arrival of first consignment of LNG under a long-term agreement between Gazprom and GAIL next month.
• Reiterated significance of longstanding partnership in military, security and nuclear energy fields and welcomed ongoing cooperation in these areas.
• Welcomed the idea of holding informal Summits as an additional engagement at leadership level besides Annual Summits between the two leaders.
• Prime Minister Modi has invited President Putin for the 19^th Annual Summit in India later in the year.