Putin accords warm welcome to NSA Doval at Kremlin ahead of planned India visit

Moscow, Aug 7 (IANS) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday received India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval at the Kremlin, marking a significant moment in the evolving strategic partnership between New Delhi and Moscow.

The meeting, held in the presence of senior Russian officials including Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu and Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov, comes ahead of Putin’s expected visit to India later this month for the annual bilateral summit.

From the Indian side, Ambassador Vinay Kumar joined the high-level discussions, which focused on regional security, defence cooperation, and preparations for the forthcoming leadership-level engagement.

The Kremlin described the talks as “constructive,” underscoring the continuity of dialogue between the two countries despite shifting global alignments.

“We have now established very good relations, which we value very much - a strategic partnership between our countries,” NSA Doval said during his meeting with Shoigu, as quoted by Russia’s Interfax news agency.

“We were pleased to learn about President Putin’s visit to our country, scheduled for late August.” Presidential aide Ushakov confirmed that the visit is being planned in line with the tradition of annual summits.

“Our leaders have an agreement to meet once a year. This time, it is our turn,” he said, referring to the rotational format of the India-Russia leadership dialogue.

The last in-person summit took place in December 2021 in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, meanwhile, travelled to Russia twice last year - first for the 22nd India-Russia Summit in July, and later for the BRICS Summit in Kazan. Both visits reaffirmed India’s commitment to maintaining robust ties with Moscow, even as global geopolitics undergoes a rapid transformation.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking earlier this year at a bilateral conference, noted that India and Russia share “close or even coinciding views” on the emerging multipolar world order.

He emphasised that the relationship has “stood the test of time” and continues to evolve on the basis of mutual respect, strategic alignment, and shared global interests.

The Kremlin also recalled recent gestures of solidarity, including President Putin’s messages of condolence following the Ahmedabad plane crash and the Pahalgam terror attack.

In both instances, Putin expressed support for India’s fight against terrorism and reiterated the privileged nature of the bilateral partnership.

With diplomatic preparations underway, the upcoming summit is expected to deepen cooperation across defence, energy, and multilateral platforms, reinforcing the enduring ties between the two nations.

--IANS

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