New Delhi-Mr Sergei Lavrov, the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, and Mr Wang Yi, the Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, called on the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Welcoming the Russian Foreign Minister and his delegation to India, the President said that India-Russia bilateral ties are strong. This year we have witnessed intensification in our high-level engagements.
The President was happy to note that bilateral trade between India and Russia registered a growth of 22% in the first six months of this year. He stated that early operationalisation of the International North South Transport Corridor can play a significant role in achieving our bilateral trade targets.
The President said that institutionalisation of the India-Russia Heads of Think Tanks Forum, which held its 2nd session in Delhi on December 4-5, would be most helpful to both countries. We should continue with our efforts to bring our think tanks and academic communities closer.
Welcoming Mr Wang Yi to India, the President congratulated him on the successful conclusion of the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China. He stated that India looks forward to working with President Xi Jinping and the Chinese leadership to take our developmental partnership to greater heights.
