PM, Putin speak on phone, discuss execution of pacts
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 20
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, less than a fortnight after both leaders held an in-person summit here on December 6.
“Spoke with my friend, President Putin, to follow up on our discussions during his recent visit to India. We agreed on the way forward for enhancing India-Russia cooperation, including in supply of fertilisers. We also discussed recent international developments,” said a social media post from the PM’s official handle.
“The exchange helped firm up the future course of action on these issues, including opportunities for furthering defence cooperation, cooperation in supply of fertilisers and enhancement of India’s engagement with the Russian Far East. The conversation also allowed an exchange of views on international issues,” said a PMO readout of the conversation.
The two leaders discussed practical aspects of implementing the agreements reached during the ministerial-level talks, said readout from the Kremlin. The conversation comes days after a Russian Presidential aide spoke of the possibility of a Russia-India-China (RIC) summit in the “near future” following a telephonic conversation between Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Kremlin readout said the two leaders continued the exchange of views on issues of international stability and security, including the situation in the Asia-Pacific region. Both leaders also agreed to intensify bilateral contacts in various spheres.
India and Russia had held their first-ever 2+2 inter-ministerial dialogue on the margins of the Modi-Putin summit on December 6. They had also inked a Rs 5,100 crore deal for the joint production of over five lakh AK-203 assault rifles in UP.
“The topic of cooperation in the Russia-India-China format was addressed,” the Kremlin’s spokesperson had said last week while speaking on the meeting between Putin and Xi.
