'Wish our friend's success in 2024 elections,' says Russian President Putin during meeting with S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Wednesday met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. During the meeting, Putin told Jaishankar that despite all the turmoil happening worldwide, the relationship with "our true friends in Asia - India has been progressing incrementally". He talked about the Ukraine war and said many times he advised Prime Minister Narendra Modi of how things had been going there. "I know that he (Modi) is willing to do his utmost so that issues are resolved peacefully."

The Russian President said he would be glad to see "our dear friend, Prime Minister Modi paying a visit to Russia". "Please tell him that we expect him here." Putin further said he knew that India will have a busy political schedule (general elections) next year. "We wish our friends success in that."

Putin reportedly told Jaishankar that Russia and India's trade turnover is increasing, driven by sectors such as oil and high technology. "Our trade turnover is growing, for the second year in a row at the same time and at a steady pace. The growth rate this year is even higher than in the last year," he was quoted as saying by Russian news agency TASS. 

Earlier in the day, Jaishankar, who is on a five-day visit to Russia, met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. In a tweet, he said he had a wide-ranging and useful meeting with Lavrov. "As strategic partners, discussed the international situation and contemporary issues," he said, adding that both leaders exchanged views on Indo-Pacific, the Ukraine conflict, the Gaza situation, Afghanistan and Central Asia, BRICS, SCO, G20, and the UN. 

"Noted the progress in our economic cooperation, energy trade, connectivity efforts, military-technical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. Signed Protocol on Consultations for the period 2024-28. India-Russia relations reflect geopolitical realities, strategic convergence, and mutual benefit," the minister said.