Posted on July 9, 2024
A new Downing Street Press Release; UK PM travels to Russia for conversations with Putin regarding Economics and the situation in Ukraine. On the trade front, it will be about exports, while energy will be another significant topic of the conversation as immigrants want the government to ensure Indians locked up in other countries are released.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Russia on Monday that is his first visit to this country in four and half years, according to the information which people close to the problem, Modi’s discussions with Putin will according to the priority pursue such spheres as economic entente between two countries and the Ukrainian crisis question.
The two leaders last met in September 2022 on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Uzbekistan, where the Russian attack on Ukraine had begun and amidst sanctions that worsened the relations between the India and Russia. The meeting was called at which Modi insisted on Putin stopping the war, telling him, “today’s era is not of war”.
Modi arrived at Moscow’s Vnukovo-II VIP airport where he was welcomed by first deputy prime minister Denis Manturov; Modi was given a tri-services guard of honour on his arrival. Manturov is older than the deputy prime minister who met with the Chinese President Xi Jinping during his recent visit to Moscow, and he personally drove Modi from the airport to the hotel, the interlocutors of the agency noted above said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Monday to attend the 22nd session of India-Russia Talks on 1 December that would be held on Tuesday, before the official meeting Putin invited Modi a special dinner at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence — Russia’s country house is generously hosted by the Russian President for only several leaders.
The people said this would be an opportunity for the two leaders, in out of the public eye, to discuss some of the tough items on the negotiating table, including the Ukraine confrontation and some of its spillovers, as well as the return of the Indian compatriots hired to serve in the Russian forces.
In the words of the people, the essence of the visit is the economic aspect that entails relations in energy, trade, manufacturing, and fertilizer.
At the same time, in connection with the war in Ukraine, one of the above-mentioned interlocutors stressed that the Indian side will state that ‘it is impossible to solve problems at the firing range’.
On his departure from New Delhi, Modi said he was eager to ‘review all the sectors of bilateral relations with my friend Vladimir Putin, and exchange views on issues pertaining to various countries and regions’. He added: “Our desire is to be helpful and provide conditions for a calm and stable region.”
Modi recalled that the calibrated and distinguished spectrum of the India-Russia strategic partnership has been built over the last ten years in various fields economic including energy security trade and investment health care, education and culture tourism and people to people contacts.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister’s schedule will start with the event of interaction with the people of Indian origin. He will have breakfast with the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin after that he will pay a visit at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Kremlin, after that he will visit the Rosatom pavilion at the an exhibition center showing a new technological breakthrough of nuclear energy in Moscow. During the summit meetings, Modi and Putin will have a restricted and private, main talks which will later be followed by the delegation level talks.
A drastic shift from the tendencies of Indian PMs visiting within the region at the starting of a new term, Modi opted for Russia to be his first bilateral trip during his third term having gone to Italy for the outreach session of the G7 Summit recently. The step is causing much talk in diplomatic circles where it is viewed as an attempt of India to start following its strategic policy of ‘autonomy coupled with disbelief’ in foreign policies and establishing the value it pays to its relations with Moscow.
In an interview, external affairs minister S Jaishankar has stated that the annual meeting which was last conducted in 2021 will give Modi and Putin a chance to engage in a direct discussion of such critical matters as the asymmetry of trade between the two countries. Although India and Russia had a plan set on establishing a trade of $30 billion by 2025, it jumped to $65. 7 billion in 2023-24 mainly due to India’s acquisition of cheap Russian crude following sanctions and a price cap. The limit of trade is completely lopsided in Russia’s favour and India is exporting nothing more than goods worth $5 billion.
According to people, the Indian side is likely to put pressure on this matter on Russia to increase the variety of its imports and at the same time, two sides will pay attention to issues of simplification of payments in local currencies and the elimination of the consequences of the restrictive measures in relation to the Russian banking sector introduced by the West.
The early discharge of Indian nationals who were recruited or ‘duped into joining the Russian Army’ is also likely to be discussed, foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra stated. The exact number of Indians that are involved in the Russian federation military has not been obtained however it is understood to be between 30 to 45 individuals. Subsequent to the deaths of four Indians on the utensils of warfare with Ukraine, India expostulated a “verified stop” to deeper recruitment by Russian Army.
But still, in the case of Ukraine, India will not deviate absolutely from the diplomatic tightrope. Just at the time Modi and Putin will be having their summit, US President Joe Biden is scheduled to host leaders of the 32 members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to mark 75 years of the organisation. Yukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been invited for the meet who had a bilateral talk with Modi at the G7 Summit last month.
After Russia, Modi will go to Austria where he will be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Austria in over forty years. He stated that he will sit down with the President Alexander Van der Bellen and the Chancellor Karl Nehammer in talk to step up the diplomatic and economic partnership for reaching better heights in the new efficiency, technology, and sustainability sectors. To this Modi said, “Austria is our bloc partner, a very reliable friend, and we have many shared values of democracy and multiculturalism.”
Both Modi and Nehammer will also hold talks with business communities of both nations for the purpose of addressing and identifying the potential of commerce and investment. He will also exercise direct contact with members of the Indian origin living in Austria.