Positive Impact Of Regular Contacts Evident In India-Russia Strategic Partnership: President Murmu
President Droupadi Murmu on Monday asserted that the “positive impact” of regular contacts is evident in the broader ‘India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership,’ which continues to benefit significantly from ongoing interactions at various levels.
As a visiting parliamentary delegation led by Chairman of Russia’s State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, called on her at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Murmu also highlighted the importance of closer interaction between women and youth parliamentarians of India and Russia.
“Welcoming the delegation to India, the President stated that exchanges of this nature among public representatives not only foster stronger cooperation but also ensure that the partnership remains contemporary and updated. She further noted that the positive impact of regular contacts is clearly visible in the broader ‘India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership,’ which continues to benefit from interactions at various levels,” read a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan after the meeting.
The President mentioned that at the leadership level, regular interactions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin play a key role.
“The cooperation between our parliaments has been very effective,” she said, adding that mechanisms like the Inter-Parliamentary Commission have facilitated this. She emphasized the importance of closer ties between women and youth parliamentarians of both countries.
President Murmu also shared with the delegation that she had inaugurated the New Delhi World Book Fair on Saturday, where Russia was the ‘Focus Country.’ She described the fair as an excellent opportunity for Indian readers to explore Russia’s rich literary heritage and encouraged stronger engagements in cultural and artistic domains.
Earlier, the visiting delegation, which arrived in India late last night for an official visit to strengthen bilateral relations, also visited both houses of the Indian Parliament.
Volodin called on Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar at the Parliament, where he reaffirmed that India is one of Russia’s key partners in Asia.
“We share special relations that are based on friendship, non-interference in sovereign affairs, and mutually beneficial cooperation,” Volodin said during his meeting with the Vice President.
The Chairman of the State Duma further stressed that the leaders of both countries continue to make a “great contribution” to the development of the Russian-Indian dialogue.
“We must legislatively support the decisions made by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Our relations are growing stronger, and we must ensure that the dynamics at the executive level are reflected in our parliamentary efforts,” Volodin emphasized.
He also noted that India remains one of Russia’s most important partners in Asia.
“Over the past five years, bilateral trade has increased fivefold and continues to grow: from January to November 2024, it grew by 15 per cent. This benefits both our citizens and our countries,” Volodin added.
The Vice President’s office reported that discussions covered various aspects of the multi-dimensional bilateral relationship between India and Russia.
“Both leaders underlined the significance of enhancing parliamentary ties, which form a solid foundation for the overall Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership,” Vice President Dhankhar said in a post on X.
He highlighted the high level of India-Russia relations and emphasized the significant role of parliamentarians in maintaining them.
The Vice President also recalled that Prime Minister Modi had visited Russia twice over the past seven months, reflecting the importance of the strategic partnership.
“Our relations are entering new trajectories, and the level of interaction is steadily increasing. Both our countries coordinate their positions on platforms like the UN, BRICS, G20, and SCO to address global issues,” the Russian Embassy in India quoted Vice President Dhankhar as saying.
Volodin congratulated the people of India on Republic Day and extended an invitation to members of the Rajya Sabha to visit Russia.
The Russian delegation accompanying the Duma Chairman includes Deputy Speaker Alexander Babakov, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) leader Leonid Slutsky, Novye Lyudi (New People) faction leader Alexey Nechayev, Economic Policy Committee Chairman Maxim Topilin, Agrarian Committee Chairman Vladimir Kashin, and Culture Committee Chairwoman Olga Kazakova.
