New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the relationship of India and Russia has continued to become stronger irrespective of COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin for the 21st India- Russia Annual Summit has begun at the Hyderabad House here on Monday.
The Prime Minister lauded the India-Russia relationship for projecting a 'unique and reliable model of interstate friendship' to the world.
PM Modi said, "Despite the challenges posed by COVID, there is no change in the pace of growth of India-Russia relations. Our special & privileged strategic partnership continues to become stronger."
"In the last few decades, the world witnessed many fundamental changes and different kinds of geopolitical equations emerged but the friendship of India and Russia remained constant", said PM Narendra Modi at meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We perceive India as a great power, a friendly nation, and a time-tested friend. The relations between our nations are growing and I am looking into the future", Putin said.
This is the first in-person between them since they met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in 2019 in Brasilia. There have been six telephonic conversations between the two leaders since then apart from the virtual meetings that they've attended for multilateral summits.
The visit is in continuation of the tradition of annual summits held alternately in India and Russia.
Earlier in the day, the two countries held their first 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.
The two countries on Monday signed an agreement for the procurement of 6,01,427 assault rifles AK-203 through Indo-Russia Rifles Pvt Ltd, under the military-technical cooperation arrangement for 2021-31.
Putin had said on Wednesday that he intends to discuss with Prime Minister Narendra Modi new "large-scale" initiatives on further developing "specially privileged" Russian-Indian relations.
"This partnership brings real mutual benefit to both states. Bilateral trade shows good dynamics; ties are actively developing in the energy sector, innovation, space, and the production of coronavirus vaccines and medicines," Putin had said.
