Jaishankar meets Russian FM Lavrov: ‘Our shared goal is to maximise complementarity of India-Russia ties’

Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow and said the shared goal is to maximise the complementarity of India-Russia ties amid shifting economic and trade landscape. Jaishankar said, “Our defence and military technical cooperation also remains robust. Russia supports India’s ‘Make in India’ goals, including joint production and technology transfer.”

 S Jaishankar said, “We reaffirmed our shared ambition to expand bilateral trade in a balanced and sustainable manner, including by increasing India’s exports to Russia. This requires swiftly addressing non-tariff barriers and regulatory impediments, enhancing India’s exports to Russia in sectors like agriculture, pharma, and textiles will certainly help correct the imbalance…”

Jaishankar, Lavrov discuss political relations, bilateral ties

“Today’s meeting gives an occasion to discuss our political relations as well and also our bilateral ties. We now prepare for the annual summit at the end of the year. Our leaders have always given us guidance to take forward our special strategic relationship….We discussed a lot of issues in our bilateral cooperation and found a lot of solutions as well. I want to take bilateral discussions forward so that we have the maximum outcomes when we have the annual summit…The global context for our meeting is provided by the evolving geopolitical situation, shifting economic trade landscape, and our shared goal is to maximise our complementarity,” Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar, Lavrov discuss trade, discuss trade, investment, defence

Jaishankar said the meeting gives an occasion to discuss political relationship as well, but also to review our bilateral ties. “So I look forward to an exchange of views on politics, on trade, on economic investment, defence, science and technology, and of course, people-to-people exchanges. Our leaders met in July for the 22nd Annual Summit last year, and thereafter in Kazan. We now prepare for the Annual Summit at the end of the year, and they have always given us guidance to take forward our special and privileged strategic partnership. We’ve had, as you noted, a very productive meeting yesterday with Denis Manturov on the Intergovernmental Commission. I think we discussed a lot of issues in our bilateral cooperation, found a lot of solutions as well,” he said.

Check what Russian FM Lavrov said

On the other hand, Russian FM Lavrov said this is a multipolar system of international relations with an increasing role played by SCO, BRICS and G20. “I hope for fruitful talks today,” he said.

On Wednesday, Jaishankar had said that India and Russia should come out with a creative and innovative approach to confront complex geopolitical challenges amid increasing strains in New Delhi’s ties with Washington over its purchase of Russian crude oil.

Jaishankar meets Russia Deputy PM Manturov

Jaishankar made the remarks at a meeting with Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov in Moscow.

In his televised opening remarks, the external affairs minister said India and Russia should continuously diversify and expand their “agenda” of cooperation including by diversifying the bilateral trade basket and through more joint ventures.

The comments came against the backdrop of a downturn in relations between India and the US after President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent including a 25 per cent additional duties for India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.

The external affairs minister arrived in Moscow on Tuesday on a three-day visit. The Jaishankar-Manturov talks were held under the framework of India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological, and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC).

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