THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, Dec 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held bilateral talks on Friday at Hyderabad House as part of the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit. Following the meeting, both leaders jointly addressed a press conference.
PM Modi said that humanity has faced several challenges over the past eight decades, and the world has seen many difficult phases. Yet, the friendship between India and Russia has always shone like the Pole Star. He expressed gratitude to President Putin for his deep friendship with India and his unwavering commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.
During the press conference, President Putin described India as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and said that Russia is ready to ensure uninterrupted oil supplies to India. He added that both countries have made significant progress toward using the Rupee–Ruble mechanism for commercial transactions.
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At the start of the press conference, Putin thanked President Droupadi Murmu, PM Modi, and all Indian counterparts for their warm and gracious welcome. PM Modi announced that India will soon introduce a 30-day free e-tourist visa and a 30-day group tourist visa for Russian nationals.
Modi also recalled the participation of lakhs of devotees in the International Buddhist Forum held in October in Kalmykia, Russia, where they had the opportunity to view the sacred relics of Lord Buddha. He expressed confidence that India–Russia friendship will continue to grow stronger and remain capable of tackling global challenges.
Speaking on terrorism, PM Modi said that India and Russia have long stood shoulder to shoulder in the fight against terrorism. He described terrorism as a direct assault on humanity’s core values and noted that the two nations maintain strong cooperation across platforms such as the UN, G20, BRICS, and SCO.
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The Prime Minister added that India and Russia are moving ahead toward finalising a Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union.
On the Ukraine issue, PM Modi reiterated that India has always advocated peace and welcomes every effort aimed at achieving a peaceful and lasting resolution.
