New Delhi: Less than a month after Wuhan Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is gearing up for his second 'informal summit' - this time with the Russian president Vladimir Putin in the seaside town of Sochi.
New Delhi: Less than a month after Wuhan Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is gearing up for his second 'informal summit' - this time with the Russian president Vladimir Putin in the seaside town of Sochi.
A press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said that Modi will be visiting Russia for an informal summit in Sochi on May 21. 'This will be an important occasion for the two leaders to exchange views on international matters in a broad and long-term perspective with the objective of further strengthening our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Both leaders will also discuss their respective national developmental priorities and bilateral matters,' said the press note. It added that the 'informal summit' was in 'keeping with the tradition of regular consultations between India and Russia at the highest levels'.
In April, Modi held an informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping for two days at Wuhan, where they agreed to maintain ' strategic communication '. The announcement for the Indo-Russian informal summit was made just four days after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale travelled to Russia for a meeting with foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on May 10. Last month, Putin and Modi had also spoken on phone.
Sources said that the India-Russia informal summit will not supplant the annual summit, which will be held in India later this year. Modi had visited St. Petersburg for the 18 th edition of annual bilateral summit in 2017.
Unlike Beijing-New Delhi ties, relations between India and Russia do not have the same level of antagonism, which required an intervention from political leadership. There had been some differences over Pakistan and Afghanistan, but it had never threatened the relationship, as per sources.
However, there had been a perception among observers that the relationship had been drifting, with India apparently moving closer to the US administration under Donald Trump.
As observed during the Indo-Chinese informal summit in Wuhan, there will be no deliverables or agreements announced after the Sochi summit. Instead, the focus' will be on discussions on the 'big picture' globally, according to observers.
Former Indian ambassador to Russia and National Security Advisory Board chairman P.S. Raghavan said that the need of the 'informal summit' was especially needed to rescue the relationship from the growing negative perception of bilateral ties. 'We need to affirm in the face of a difficult geopolitical climate that the strategic partnership between India and Russia remains relevant,' he told The Wire .
Raghavan felt that the ongoing developments around the world required both countries to 'affirm a mutual commitment' beyond the confines of a formal summit.
This reaffirmation was required as there had been a rising narrative within India, influenced by western media, that Russia was too economically weak to be a credible international partner, according to some observers.
This message had to be conveyed against a backdrop of deteriorating US-Russia relations which has ignited a budding Russia-China alliance. The withdrawal of US from the international nuclear deal with Iran and the impending summit of President Donald Trump with North Korea's Kim Jong-un has introduced more variables with uncertain outcome.
At the same time, India has become entwined into the fracas between Moscow and Washington with concerns that Indian purchase of S-400 missile defence system would trigger US sanctions related to CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017).
Indian officials have already conveyed to US that defence purchases from Russia were essential to maintain military preparedness and were not targeting Washington. The Russians, meanwhile, are hoping to witness a robust campaign from India to protect the defence relationship between Moscow and Delhi.
The recent developments have also meant that many of the powers have also been holding talks with Putin. Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in the Kremlin. French president Emmanuel Macron is supposed to be travelling to Russia later this month and German chancellor Angela Merkel will hold talks with Putin on May 18.
A press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said that Modi will be visiting Russia for an informal summit in Sochi on May 21. 'This will be an important occasion for the two leaders to exchange views on international matters in a broad and long-term perspective with the objective of further strengthening our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Both leaders will also discuss their respective national developmental priorities and bilateral matters,' said the press note. It added that the 'informal summit' was in 'keeping with the tradition of regular consultations between India and Russia at the highest levels'.
In April, Modi held an informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping for two days at Wuhan, where they agreed to maintain ' strategic communication '. The announcement for the Indo-Russian informal summit was made just four days after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale travelled to Russia for a meeting with foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on May 10. Last month, Putin and Modi had also spoken on phone.
Sources said that the India-Russia informal summit will not supplant the annual summit, which will be held in India later this year. Modi had visited St. Petersburg for the 18 th edition of annual bilateral summit in 2017.
Unlike Beijing-New Delhi ties, relations between India and Russia do not have the same level of antagonism, which required an intervention from political leadership. There had been some differences over Pakistan and Afghanistan, but it had never threatened the relationship, as per sources.
However, there had been a perception among observers that the relationship had been drifting, with India apparently moving closer to the US administration under Donald Trump.
As observed during the Indo-Chinese informal summit in Wuhan, there will be no deliverables or agreements announced after the Sochi summit. Instead, the focus' will be on discussions on the 'big picture' globally, according to observers.
Former Indian ambassador to Russia and National Security Advisory Board chairman P.S. Raghavan said that the need of the 'informal summit' was especially needed to rescue the relationship from the growing negative perception of bilateral ties. 'We need to affirm in the face of a difficult geopolitical climate that the strategic partnership between India and Russia remains relevant,' he told The Wire .
Raghavan felt that the ongoing developments around the world required both countries to 'affirm a mutual commitment' beyond the confines of a formal summit.
This reaffirmation was required as there had been a rising narrative within India, influenced by western media, that Russia was too economically weak to be a credible international partner, according to some observers.
This message had to be conveyed against a backdrop of deteriorating US-Russia relations which has ignited a budding Russia-China alliance. The withdrawal of US from the international nuclear deal with Iran and the impending summit of President Donald Trump with North Korea's Kim Jong-un has introduced more variables with uncertain outcome.
At the same time, India has become entwined into the fracas between Moscow and Washington with concerns that Indian purchase of S-400 missile defence system would trigger US sanctions related to CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017).
Indian officials have already conveyed to US that defence purchases from Russia were essential to maintain military preparedness and were not targeting Washington. The Russians, meanwhile, are hoping to witness a robust campaign from India to protect the defence relationship between Moscow and Delhi.
The recent developments have also meant that many of the powers have also been holding talks with Putin. Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in the Kremlin. French president Emmanuel Macron is supposed to be travelling to Russia later this month and German chancellor Angela Merkel will hold talks with Putin on May 18.