New Delhi, Jul 5 (PTI) The impact of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine on countries of the Global South and the issue of early discharge of Indian nationals who have been misled into the service of the Russian Army are expected to figure in the discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week, a top official said on Friday.
At a media briefing here ahead of Modi’s visit to Russia from July 8-9 for the 22nd India-Russia Summit, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said in all the past summits, whenever the prime minister has met with the Russian president, and even in the sideline meetings as in Samarkand in 2022, the issues of regional and global importance for both countries are “always taken up by the two leaders”.
Modi and Putin last held bilateral talks on the margins of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) at Samarkand in Uzbekistan in September 2022.
In the meeting, Modi had famously pressed Putin to end the conflict in Ukraine saying “today’s era is not of war”.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Modi has held several telephonic conversations with Putin and Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Asked if the issue of conflict in Ukraine would figure in the talks between the two leaders during Modi’s visit to Russia, he said “you are well aware” of what the prime minister spoke when he referred to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine at in 2022 with the Russian president.
“And those issues in terms of how they impact the countries of the Global South, how they have a bearing on the peace and stability in the larger region, and how they also interface with some elements of bilateral engagement would naturally be expected to figure in the discussion,” the top MEA official said.
Also, the developments in Indo-Pacific region have a spectrum of opportunities and a spectrum of challenges. And given that they are of significance to both India and Russia, “it is possible that they might also figure in the agenda,” Kwatra said, adding, issues of regional and global importance would constitute an important element of the conversations.
Kwatra also quoted the Indian delegate’s remarks at the Swiss peace summit that “India shares the global concern over the situation in Ukraine and supports any collective desire to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the conflict”.
He also said, “The issue of early discharge of Indian nationals who have been misled into the service of the Russian Army is expected to figure in the discussions.” On Indian citizens being misled and sent to join the Russian army, he said the exact number is difficult to specify.
“However, it is estimated that the number could range anywhere from 30 to possibly 40-45. This is only an estimate,” he added.
Several Indians have been working as security helpers in the Russian military, and they were forced to fight with the Russian soldiers in certain areas along Russia’s border with Ukraine, according to reports.
Kwatra in his response added that “whenever we have received information that any Indian citizen has been misled and sent to work for the Russian army under false pretenses, we have strongly and assertively taken it up with the Russian authorities”.
In India, “stringent action” has been taken against those who are involved in misleading and recruiting Indian citizens and efforts have been made to bring them back as soon as possible. Ten Indian citizens have been brought back to India through this process, he added.
“At every level of Russian leadership, both official and political, we have expressed strong concern that Indian citizens who are being taken to the Russian army through improper procedures must be returned promptly. These efforts continue persistently and at every level. It is natural to expect that honourable prime minister may raise this issue as well,” Kwatra said.
Asked about Russia being the first country Modi will be travelling to for a bilateral visit after being elected as a prime minister for the third consecutive term, he said, “The bilateral visit this time is just a scheduling priority that we have undertaken.” Kwatra said with Indian exports of USD 4 billion and Indian imports being close to USD 60 billion, “trade remains imbalanced, which is a matter of priority in our discussions with the Russian side”.
“We also have growing investment ties between the two countries, including in the field of energy, banking, railways and steel. These are the growing areas of our investment partnership.
“Russia also remains an important partner for India’s energy security and defence. In the area of nuclear energy, Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant units 1 and 2 have already become operational. And the work is progressing on units 3 and 6,” he added.
In the field of defence also, India and Russia continue to work closely across a full range of its sub-domains.
“India-Russia defence cooperation is a very important segment of our privileged and strategic partnership and various elements of it, whether it relates to co-production opportunities between India and Russia here, whether it relates to supply of spare parts, for existing Russian platforms in India,” he said.
“It is an important area of our cooperation and the two ministries of defence have been in very regular touch in taking up issues that have been of priority to us,” Kwatra said.
On G7 sanctions, he said, “We have been in very regular touch with the G7, essentially to protect and progress our national interests.” On reports which quoted Putin as saying that Russia has used the Taliban as an “ally” in the fight against terrorism, and India’s stand on it, he said, “… in so far as India-Afghanistan ties are concerned, our relationship with Afghanistan is very heavily people-centric.” PTI KND KSS KSS
