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 two leaders discussed practical aspects of implementing the agreements reached during the ministerial-level talks, said a 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 deal for Rs 5,100 crore 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 said while speaking on the virtual meeting between Putin and Xi.
The leaders “agreed to continue exchanging opinions in this regard and to endeavour to hold the next summit within the RIC framework in the near future”, the Russian presidential aide had said.
