Dates of Russian President’s visit to India being worked out, no specific date indicated by NSA: Sources

NEW DELHI: National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, who is in Moscow, has said that the dates of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India are being worked out, sources said on Thursday, noting that no specific date or time has been indicated by the NSA in his engagements.

The sources said the time of the end of August being reported in a section of the media is incorrect. According to a video posted by Sputnik News, Doval said in his remarks that India and Russia have a very special relationship. “We have got a very special relationship, long relationship and we highly value our strategic partnership. We have had high-level engagements and these have contributed very substantially”, he said.

“We are very excited and delighted to learn about the visit of His Excellency, the President of Russia, President Putin, to India. I think that the dates are almost finalized now. The more important thing is that the summit meetings have always been a watershed point,” he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Russia in July last year, and he and President Vladimir Putin highly appreciated the special nature of this time-tested relationship, which is based on trust, mutual understanding and strategic convergence.

According to a joint statement after a meeting between the two leaders, they positively assessed the multi-faceted, mutually beneficial India-Russia relations that span all possible areas of cooperation, including political and strategic, military and security, trade and investment, energy, science and technology, nuclear, space, cultural, education and humanitarian cooperation. It was noted with satisfaction that both Sides are actively exploring new avenues for cooperation while further strengthening cooperation in the traditional areas.

The 11th Session of the India-Russia Working Group on Modernization and Industrial Cooperation was held in national capital on Wednesday under the framework of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation. (ANI)