Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi on Monday (December 6) and put trade and the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan on the agenda.
Afghanistan was taken over by the Taliban earlier this year, leading to a humanitarian crisis in the country. Both New Delhi and Moscow have previously stated that this may destabilize the region.
“Fighting against terrorism is also a fight against drug trafficking and organized crime,” Putin said in an introductory speech broadcast by Indian media. “In this regard, we are concerned about the development of the situation in Afghanistan.”
according to Kremlin websiteModi said that this is only Putin’s second visit in two years, adding that he “expressed your love for India.”
“Over the past few decades, many fundamental changes have taken place, the world pattern has changed, and various geopolitical patterns have emerged, but in all these changes, the Russian-Indian friendship has not changed,” Modi said. .
The Prime Minister of India stated that the goal set by the two parties for themselves is to increase mutual trade to 30 billion U.S. dollars and increase mutual investment to 50 billion U.S. dollars by 2025.
According to reports, Putin said that the two sides are working in “very important and promising areas”, including energy and high technology including space.
He added: “And I’m sure the plan we talked about will be implemented, including training an Indian astronaut.”
The visit of Putin and several senior Russian officials comes at a time when relations between Russia and the United States are becoming increasingly tense, and the United States is also an important ally of India.
Earlier on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that an agreement to supply India with the S-400 air defense missile system was being implemented, even though he said the United States was trying to undermine the agreement.
India and Russia are expected to consolidate a number of trade and defense agreements at the summit.
Russian weapons manufacturer Kalashnikov said that Moscow and New Delhi also signed an agreement on Monday that India will produce more than 600,000 AK-203 assault rifles.
“The relationship between India and Russia is indeed a unique and reliable model,” Modi said.
