India-Russia friendship has stood the test of time: Russian President Putin

New Delhi – Despite major upheavals of the last few decades, the friendship between India and Russia has not been affected. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that friendly cooperation between the two countries is still intact. President Putin said India is a great power and India’s friendship with Russia has stood the test of time. President Putin said that India’s cooperation with Russia in military and technology is unmatched by any other country.

President Vladimir Putin‘s visit to India had caught the eye of observers worldwide. It was already revealed that the Russian President would sign essential agreements with India during his one-day visit. Accordingly, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla informed that about 28 agreements had been signed between the two countries. Shringla claimed that President Putin’s visit to India has been very fruitful. While India’s relations with China and Russia’s relations with the United States are strained, cooperation between the two countries is of great strategic importance. With the transfer of control of Afghanistan to the Taliban, the security of India and Russia also faces a major threat. Therefore, cooperation between India and Russia on the Afghanistan issue could prove decisive. Discussions between the two leaders have made it clear that the issue of Afghanistan is on the anvil.

India and Russia are adamant that Afghanistan should not be used for terrorism. ‘We are in touch with each other on regional issues, including Afghanistan,’ Modi said in a joint statement with President Putin. The Prime Minister also reminded us that the two countries cooperated even during the Coronavirus pandemic. The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction that the cooperation between Russia’s Far East and Indian states has now begun to take shape. The two countries have set a target of increasing trade cooperation between them to $30 billion by 2025. At the same time, the two countries are preparing to increase investment cooperation to $50 billion.

Meanwhile, Putin’s visit sparked the first ‘two plus two’ talks between India and Russia. Speaking on occasion, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh targeted China’s aggressive military activities without taking names directly. Rajnath Singh said India is facing a challenge on the northern border for no reason. However, the defence minister expressed confidence that India would overcome these challenges on the strength of its strong political will and the tremendous potential of Indians.

Meanwhile, some analysts claim that President Putin’s visit to India and the two-plus-two talks between the two countries is Russia’s warning to China. Therefore, there are indications that China has become restless with this and Pakistan is also looking at the cooperation between India and Russia with suspicion. Pakistani journalists claim that despite developing cooperation with the United States, India maintains its friendship with Russia, a significant achievement for the Indian foreign policy. It is also claimed that this has undermined Pakistan’s efforts to increase its proximity to Russia by taking advantage of developments in Afghanistan.