National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russian Embassy in India reported on Thursday. The meeting between the two leaders comes as Russia and India stressed their commitment to a "strategic partnership" in bilateral security talks in Moscow.
Ajit Doval, who arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for crucial talks on bilateral energy and defence ties, said earlier in the day that Putin will visit India later this year.
Doval’s meeting with Putin assumes significance: Here’s why
At this time, NSA Ajit Doval meeting with Putin assumes significance as US President Donald Trump imposed additional tariffs on India over the purchase of Russian oil. Earlier in the day, Trump issued a stern ultimatum to Putin to end the war in Ukraine, warning that Moscow will face even harsher US sanctions if the aggression continues.
In the wake of these developments, Putin expressed willingness to have a meeting with Trump and suggested that the UAE could host the summit.
Ajit Doval meets Sergey Shoigu in Moscow
Earlier in the day, Ajit Doval met Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu, who said that the two countries are linked by "strong, time-tested ties of friendship."
Doval arrived in Moscow on Wednesday to hold crucial talks on bilateral energy and defence ties and to prepare the ground for Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India later this year.
It is important for Moscow and New Delhi to determine the timing of new full-scale negotiations between President Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shoigu said at the meeting with Doval.
What Shoigu said on political dialogue with Doval?
"A multi-level trust-based political dialogue is effectively functioning between our countries now.
It is based on regular contacts between President Putin and Prime Minister Modi. It is important to determine the dates for the next full-scale negotiations between our leaders," he was quoted as saying by the state-run TASS news agency.
Doval expressed hope that the Summit meeting will provide new directions for development of bilateral relations and produce a “tangible and substantial" result of the talks, TASS reported.
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