Russian Minister to Visit India in Early January to Boost Energy Ties

NEW DELHI: Defence and energy cooperation will be on the agenda when Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov visits India early next month. Russia continues to also push India for an early conclusion of negotiations for an FTA between Eurasian Economic Union and India.
Lavrov is expected to hold talks with his counterpart S Jaishankar on January 14.
“The foreign ministers will consider the current state and prospects of development of bilateral relations in light of the goals outlined on the outcomes of the Russian-Indian Summit that took place on September 4-5 in Vladivostok. They will also discuss the 2020 schedule of upcoming top-level political contacts. They plan to have a comprehensive exchange of opinions on regional and international issues,” said a Russian foreign ministry spokesperson announcing the visit.
Russia is going to further develop next year a military dialogue and deepen counter-terrorism cooperation bilaterally and in the frameworks of Brics, SCO and RIC-like formats, Russian ambassador Nikolay Kudashev said earlier this week. He said constructive dialogue between India and Russia is the basis of commonly recognised principles of international behaviour, such as “non-interference in domestic affairs and mutual respect”.
The ambassador had also said that in 2020 Russia was hopeful of an early conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement between the EAEU and India and the next round of the Russian-Indian Strategic Economic Dialogue with the focus on transport, agriculture, small and medium enterprises.

Source: ToI

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