Putin invites Modi to visit Russia in 2022

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Russia in 2022, according to a joint statement issued after they met on Monday.

“President Putin thanked Prime Minister Modi for the kind hospitality shown to him and his delegation in New Delhi. He invited Prime Minister Modi to visit Russia next year to participate in the XXII Annual Russian-Indian Summit,” Sputnik reported citing the statement.

Putin and Indian Prime Minister Modi held the first in-person meeting on Monday after they met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in 2019 in Brasilia. There have been six telephonic conversations between Modi and Putin since then apart from the virtual meetings that they’ve attended for multilateral summits.

The visit is in continuation of the tradition of annual summits held alternately in India and Russia.

Modi, who held the annual summit meeting with Russian President at Hyderabad House said that India and Russia have been in regular touch on Afghanistan and regional issues.

Russian President during his meeting with Prime Minister Modi said that Moscow is concerned over everything related to terrorism and drug trafficking, including in the context of the situation in Afghanistan.

“We are certainly worried about everything related to terrorism and the fight against it. Terrorism is also fight against drug trafficking and organized crime. In this regard, we cannot but worry about the situation and how it is developing in Afghanistan,” Putin said at the 21st India- Russia Annual Summit.

The two nations today also signed an agreement for the procurement of 6,01,427 assault rifles AK-203 through Indo-Russia Rifles Pvt Ltd, under the military-technical cooperation arrangement for 2021-31.

Earlier in the day, the two countries held their first 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. (The Economic Times)