Russia-India ties are rock solid, says Indian envoy Varma
Feb 16, 2021
Moscow [Russia], February 16 : Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla's visit is intended to deepen the cooperation between Moscow and New Delhi in all sectors, said DB Venkatesh Varma, India's Ambassador to Russia reaffirming that ties between Moscow and New Delhi are "rock solid."
Speaking in a video message, the Indian ambassador said, "Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla is visiting Moscow on a two-day visit on February 17 and 18. It is his first visit abroad this year. (He would) hold discussions with the Russian counterparts in the Russian Foreign Ministry for setting an active and ambitious agenda of bilateral relations."
Shringla's visit to Moscow is intended to deepen India-Russia cooperation
Affirming the "rock-solid" nature of the ties between Moscow and New Delhi, the Indian envoy said that the foreign secretary's visit is intended to deepen cooperation in all sectors.
"India-Russia relations are rock solid. Foreign secretary's visit is intended to deepen cooperation in all sectors. We'll also expand our cooperation including building on PM Modi's visit to Vladivostok in September 2019. There is a lot of excitement in Moscow about how India and Russia can cooperate in terms of the Covid pandemic," he added.
Shringla will pay an official visit to Moscow on February 17-18, 2021 at the invitation of Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Monday.
According to the external affairs ministry's official statement, Shringla will hold the next round of India-Russia Foreign Office Consultations with Deputy Foreign Minister Morgulov, during which the two sides will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including the forthcoming high-level exchanges.
"During the visit, the Foreign Secretary will also meet Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov for an exchange of views on topical issues of regional and international importance. He will also deliver a speech on 'India-Russia relations' at the prestigious Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the MEA said further.
Media reports state that Shringla's visit comes at a time when ties between Moscow and Brussels (the European Union) are 'boiling' following the prison sentence to Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny.
