India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, will embark on his Russia visit on Monday, December 25, 2023, to discuss key issues with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov. The visit is part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two sides and will cover a wide range of bilateral and multilateral concerns.
The visit comes at a time when the world is facing multiple challenges, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ukraine conflict, terrorism, climate change and trade disputes. India and Russia, as influential members of international organizations like the UN, G20, BRICS and SCO, have consistently collaborated on these global issues and have shared common interests and values.
Jaishankar’s last visit to Russia in November 2022 laid the groundwork for this upcoming engagement. He held extensive deliberations with Lavrov and Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov on various topics, such as regional security, counter-terrorism cooperation, energy partnership, defence cooperation and cultural ties.
The upcoming talks are expected to delve deeper into both bilateral and multilateral concerns. Jaishankar will also update Lavrov about India’s presidency of the SCO and G20 this year and seek Russia’s support for India’s candidature for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.
Jaishankar’s visit is also significant as it coincides with the festive season of Christmas. He will travel to Moscow as well as St. Petersburg to meet with senior officials from both sides. He will also attend various events and cultural programmes during his stay.
Jaishankar’s visit is expected to strengthen the strategic partnership between India and Russia and enhance their cooperation in various fields. It will also demonstrate their commitment to multilateralism and global peace and stability.
