New Delhi: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit India for two days from Monday and Tuesday, said the External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. According to the Bagchi the visit will be a unique opportunity to discuss important aspects of bilateral ties, also to review preparations for the next India Russia annual summit and also perhaps discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest.

The Russian Embassy in India, in a statement said that “The heads of the foreign affairs agencies will discuss the current state of bilateral relations, the preparation of the upcoming high-level meeting this year, including cooperation in the fight against the pandemic, will consider key topics on the regional, global agenda, assess approaches to the interaction between Russia and India on the international arena, including at the UN, BRICS”. “A special and privileged strategic partnership with India is one of Russia’s foreign policy priorities,” the statement read.

The two sides are developing an active political dialogue, trade and economic, as well as military and technical ties, scientific, cultural, and humanitarian contacts, it said. “A considerable experience of fruitful cooperation in a wide range of areas has been accumulated. The interest of the Indian business in the Far East and other regions of Russia are growing,” the statement added. The official release also stated that the Russian foreign minister is also set to implement the outcomes of the 20th Russian-Indian summit held in September last year, in Vladivostok.

“The heads of the Foreign Ministries of Russia and India will exchange views on vital issues of the international and regional agenda, including interaction in the #UN, the #SCO, and #BRICS, which is chaired by India this year, as well as the #RIC. An important set of topics related to the situation in the Asia-Pacific region and Afghanistan will be discussed,” the statement further added.