The Asian Age

PM, Putin to hold Sochi talks today

- THE ASIAN AGE

New Delhi, May 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed hope that his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin would further strengthen the “special and privileged” strategic partnershi­p between India and Russia.

In a series of tweets first in Russian and then in English on the eve of his visit to Russia, he said, “Am confident the talks with President Putin will further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnershi­p between India and Russia.”

“Greetings to the friendly people of Russia. I look forward to my visit to Sochi tomorrow and my meeting with President Putin. It is always a pleasure to meet him,” Mr Modi said in another tweet.

The two leaders will primarily focus on pressing global and regional issues, including impact of the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, during their informal summit in Russian city of Sochi on Monday.

Am confident the talks with President Putin will further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnershi­p — Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

◗ In a series of tweets on the eve of his visit to Russia, Mr Modi said he looked forward to his meeting with Vladimir Putin

New Delhi, May 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday voiced the hope that his talks with President Vladimir Putin would further strengthen the “special and privileged” strategic partnershi­p between India and Russia.

In a series of tweets — in Russian and then in English — on the eve of his visit to Russia, Mr Modi said he looked forward to his meeting with Putin.

“Greetings to the friendly people of Russia. I look forward to my visit to Sochi tomorrow and my meeting with President Putin. It is always a pleasure to meet him,” Modi tweeted.

During their informal summit in the Russian city of Sochi on Monday, the two leaders will primarily focus on global and regional issues, including the impact of the US decision to withdraw from a nuclear deal with Iran.

“Am confident the talks with President Putin will further strengthen the

Special and Privileged Strategic Partnershi­p between India and Russia,” Mr Modi said in another tweet.

Official sources said the two leaders would meet for 4- 6 hours for the “agendaless” talks where deliberati­ons on bilateral issues were likely to be limited.

They said the issues on the table might include the economic impact on India and Russia in the wake of the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal, the situation in Afghanista­n and Syria, the threat of terrorism and matters relating to the upcoming SCO ( Shanghai Cooperatio­n Organisati­on) and BRICS summits.

The sources said the possible impact of the US sanctions against Russia under the Countering America’s Adversarie­s through Sanctions Act ( CAATSA) on Indo- Russia defence cooperatio­n may also figure during the talks between Modi and Putin. India is not going to allow its defence engagement with Russia to be dictated by any other country, the sources said, adding New Delhi has been lobbying with the Trump administra­tion on the issue.

The aim of the informal summit is to use the friendship and trust between the two countries to create convergenc­e on key global and regional issues, the sources said.

The two leaders may also deliberate on extending the Indo- Russia civil nuclear cooperatio­n to third countries, possible areas for cooperatio­n for the Internatio­nal NorthSouth Transport Corridor project, India’s engagement with the five- nation Eurasian Economic Union and the situation in the Korean peninsula.

 ??  ?? Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
 ??  ?? Narendra Modi
Narendra Modi
 ??  ?? Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
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