Moscow:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin and discussed ways to diversify cooperation between the two nations in various sectors like trade, commerce, security, agriculture, technology, commerce and innovation.

In a post on X, PM Modi stated, “Held productive discussions with President Putin at the Kremlin today. Our talks covered ways to diversify India-Russia cooperation in sectors such as trade, commerce, security, agriculture, technology and innovation. We attach great importance to boosting connectivity and people-to-people exchanges.”

Held productive discussions with President Putin at the Kremlin today. Our talks covered ways to diversify India-Russia cooperation in sectors such as trade, commerce, security, agriculture, technology and innovation. We attach great importance to boosting connectivity and… pic.twitter.com/JfiidtNYa8

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 9, 2024

Before the meeting, PM Modi spoke about his informal meeting with Putin on Monday. He spoke about the issues that were discussed during the meeting.

He noted that the talks between the two nations have been going on for 25 years. However, the attention of the entire world is focused on his visit to Russia.

PM Modi said, “The bilateral talks between the two nations have been going on for 25 years. We have met 22 times. This is such a meeting that the focus of the entire world is on this visit of mine. The entire world is drawing out different meanings of this visit.”

Speaking about his meeting with Putin at the President’s House, PM Modi stated, “You invited me to your residence and as a true friend, we stayed together for 4-5 hours and talked about many issues. I was happy that we were able to discuss our thoughts about Ukraine with an open mind and with great respect. We tried to respectfully understand each other’s thoughts.”

Noting that terrorism is “horrible and disgusting”, PM Modi highlighted India has been facing the menace for over 40 years and said that he can imagine “how deep the pain is” when terror incidents occurred in Dagestan. PM Modi strongly condemned all kinds of terrorism during his bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“In the last 40-50 years, India has been facing terrorism. How horrible and disgusting terrorism is, we have been facing for the last 40 years. So, when terror incidents occurred in Moscow, when terror incidents occurred in Dagestan, I can imagine how deep its pain would be. I strongly condemn all kinds of terrorism,” PM Modi said during his bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Stressing that there is no solution in the battlefield, PM Modi said, “As a friend, I have always said that for the future of our new generation, peace is the most important thing. But I also know that there is no solution in the battlefield. Peace talks do not succeed between bombs, guns and bullets. And we have to use the means of talks to adopt the path of peace.”

PM Modi said that everyone who believes in humanity is pained when there is a loss of lives. He further stated that it is “heart-wrenching” when innocent children are dying.

PM Modi said, “Be it war, conflicts, terror attacks – everyone who believes in humanity is pained when there is loss of lives. But when innocent children are murdered, when we see innocent children dying, it is heart-wrenching. That pain is immense. I also held a detailed discussion with you over this.”

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Rosatom Pavilion at the VDNKh Exhibition Centre in Moscow. Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister, Denis Manturov, accompanied the two leaders, during the visit at Rosatom Pavilion.

After his visit to the Pavilion, PM Modi on X stated, “Visited the Atom Pavilion with President Putin. Energy is an important pillar of cooperation between India and Russia and we are eager to further cement ties in this sector.”

Putin welcomed PM Modi at the venue and the two leaders warmly greeted each other. The two leaders then took a tour of the Rosatom Pavilion at VDNKH. PM Modi was seen interacting with the officials.

In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “PM @narendramodi accompanied by President Vladimir Putin of Russia visited the Atom Pavilion at the VDNKh Exhibition centre in Moscow. The Pavilion showcases the developments in the field of science and technology. Cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear technology is an important pillar of the multifaceted cooperation between India and Russia.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently on a two-day visit to Russia, also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow.

In a post on X, Randhir Jaiswal stated, “A solemn homage to the brave! PM @narendramodi laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, saluting valour, sacrifice and indomitable human courage.”

PM Modi also addressed the Indian community in Moscow. He spoke about the ties between India and Russia and the contribution of the Indian community in strengthening them. He also announced the opening of Indian Consulates in Kazan and Yekaterinburg.

PM Modi arrived in Moscow for an official visit on Monday where he was received by Denis Manturov, the first Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and was accorded a ceremonial welcome. Indian community gave PM Modi a warm welcome at the hotel.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi walk during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence near Moscow, Russia on July 8, 2024
| Photo Credit: via Reuters

In what will be relief for the families of men recruited into the Russian military to serve at the warfront with Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s request, made at a private dinner on Monday, to discharge those wishing to return to India. According to sources privy to the decision, Mr. Putin has given instructions to this effect upon Mr. Modi’s “direct intervention”.

“We expect the release to take place within weeks from various places where they are serving or deployed,” sources told The Hindu on the condition of anonymity.

Also Read: PM Modi in Russia LIVE updates

It is unclear whether there will be a public announcement about the order and whether it will find mention in the joint statement, that comes after weeks of diplomatic discussions, and the issue being raised by the Indian Embassy in Moscow as well as by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a meeting on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Astana last week.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to hold formal talks with President Putin and visit an exhibition on nuclear cooperation later on Tuesday.

Increasing pressure

The demand for the discharge of dozens of soldiers who claim they were recruited by the Russian military after being lured by agents on false promises has been increasing pressure on the government for several months. After The Hindu first reported on the demand that was raised by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi as some men from his constituency had reached out, the Ministry of External Affairs accepted that there was a problem amongst a “few” such cases.

However, subsequently it has emerged that there are at least 50 Indian men serving at war front, of which four have been killed.

Also Read: Death of Indians in Russia-Ukraine war: Status and accountability of mercenaries in international law | Explained

In parliament last week, Mr. Owaisi had referred to Indians who were not being prevented by the government to travel to conflict zones in Russia and Israel as “cannon fodder”. The MEA has said that about 9-10 who reached out directly to the Embassy have been returned to India, after the Embassy’s intervention with the Kremlin. The Hindu has learnt that several others had already received their discharge papers, but were awaiting a formal release from the war front by their commanding officers.

The Russian government has not commented on the issue thus far, but official sources explained that the recruitment of foreign soldiers is permitted under law and conducted after “thorough mental and physical” checks. Recruits from Nepal, Sri Lanka, China and African countries are all believed to have been trained for a few weeks and deployed similarly to the Indian recruits. The Nepali government has also made similar requests to the Kremlin and taken up the issue in Kathmandu and Moscow.

Special gesture

The decision by the Russian President is seen as a special gesture made for India given traditional ties, as well as his personal rapport with PM Modi, that was on display at a private dinner he threw for Mr. Modi at his Dacha on the outskirts of Moscow on Monday. The two men embraced as they met, and Mr. Putin who congratulated PM Modi on his third term in office, then personally drove Mr. Modi in a golf cart around his estate, and took him on a tour.

India dismisses U.S. concerns

The optics of the visit has raised eyebrows in Washington, where President Joseph Biden is hosting NATO leaders and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a special summit on Tuesday, and the State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller, when asked said that the US has raised its “concerns” about India’s relationship with Russia.

When asked, government sources rejected the US’s concerns on the issue.

“India has always called for respecting the UN charter, including territorial integrity and sovereignty,” the official sources said. As The has reported, PM Modi is expected to stress with President Putin that there is “no solution on the battlefield” to the conflict and that “dialogue and diplomacy” are the only way forward.

(With inputs from Vijaita Singh)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Russia as India’s “all-weather friend” and hailed President Vladimir Putin’s leadership in strengthening the bilateral relationship over the past two decades.

Mr. Modi said he had a special appreciation for “his friend” President Putin for steering India-Russia friendship to greater heights over the last two decades.

The Prime Minister said for a long time the world had seen an “influence-oriented global order”.

“But, what the world needs right now is confluence not influence and no one can deliver this message better than India which has a strong tradition of worshipping confluences,” Mr. Modi said.

– PTI

Washington:

 India is a strategic partner with whom it engages in a full and frank dialogue, the United States said on Monday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

“India is a strategic partner with whom we engage in a full and frank dialogue. And that includes our concerns about their relationship with Russia,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

He was responding to questions on PM Modi’s Moscow visit for bilateral talks with Putin.

“We did just see Modi, like (Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor) Orban, meet with (Ukrainian) President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy. We thought that was an important step to take. And we would urge India, as we do any country when it engages with Russia, to make clear that any resolution to the conflict in Ukraine needs to be one that respects the UN charter, that respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity, Ukraine’s sovereignty,” Miller said.

“I will look to Prime Minister Modi’s public remarks to see what he talked about. But as I said, we made quite clear directly with India our concerns about their relationship with Russia. So we would hope India and any other country, when they engage with Russia, would make clear that Russia should respect the UN charter, should respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said in response to a question.

Putin on Monday night welcomed PM Modi at his official residence at Novo-Ogaryovo for a “private engagement” during which he praised the visiting Indian leader for the work he has done for the country’s progress.

This is PM Modi’s first trip to Russia since its invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to travel to Russia on July 8, diplomatic sources have told NDTV, to hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin under the much-delayed annual summit mechanism.

This comes days after a Kremlin official in Moscow said active preparations are underway for PM Modi’s state visit to Russia.

“I can confirm that we are preparing a visit by the prime minister of India. We cannot (say) the dates as yet, because the dates are announced by the parties in agreement,” Yuri Ushakov, an assistant to the Russian president, said on Tuesday.

“But we are actively preparing. I will emphasise once again, this visit will take place,” he told reporters, replying to a question.

Putin was sworn-in as the President of Russia for the fifth consecutive time in May this year, while Narendra Modi too took the oath as Prime Minister of India for the third consecutive term on June 9.

If the visit takes place, it will be PM Modi’s first trip to Russia since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

A longstanding ally of Russia, India has shied away from explicit condemnation of the invasion of Ukraine.

President Putin last visited New Delhi in 2021 for the annual India-Russia Summit, which hasn’t been held in the past two years.

PM Modi and Putin last held bilateral talks on the margins of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) at Samarkand in Uzbekistan on September 16, 2022.