National security advisor Ajit Doval on Monday met Nikolay Patrushev, a key aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin and chairman of Russia’s Maritime Board.The Russian Embassy in New Delhi confirmed the meeting, noting that national maritime security coordinator, Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, was also part of the discussions.
Sharing the update on X, the embassy posted, “Aide to the President of Russia & chairman of the maritime Board of Russia Nikolay Patrushev arrived in India.”“He held talks with India’s national security advisor Ajit Doval and India’s National Maritime Security Coordinator Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta,” the post further added.Patrushev’s visit came on a day India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar reached Moscow for a fresh round of talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. As per the Russian foreign ministry, “negotiations will be held in Moscow” today, marking another step in the ongoing diplomatic exchanges between the two countries ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s scheduled visit to India in December.The meeting between Jaishankar and Lavrov forms part of a broader itinerary that includes the SCO Council of Heads of Government gathering. Jaishankar is leading the Indian delegation for the meeting, which Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin will chair on 18 November. The Russian Foreign Ministry has said that the ministers will review upcoming political engagements, alongside major bilateral, regional and global issues. Cooperation in SCO, BRICS, the United Nations and the G20 is also on the agenda.TASS has reported that preparations for Putin’s visit to New Delhi for the 23rd annual India–Russia summit, expected in early December, are likely to feature in the conversations. Putin has earlier directed his government to examine ways to expand trade and economic ties with India, including issues linked to logistics, payments and the widening trade imbalance. Putin last visited India in 2021.The latest round of meetings follows Jaishankar’s earlier trip to Russia from 19–21 August. During that visit, he co-chaired the 26th India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC). The Ministry of External Affairs had said:”On August 21, EAM met Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and undertook a comprehensive review of the entire gamut of India-Russia bilateral relations, including in sectors like trade and economic cooperation, various connectivity initiatives, political, defence and military-technical cooperation, fast-tracking of opening of two new Indian Consulates in Kazan and Yekaterinburg, etc. On global and multilateral cooperation, both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to reform of global governance, and collaboration in G20, BRICS and the SCO. EAM underlined the imperative to expand and energise the UN Security Council to reflect contemporary realities.”Jaishankar had also met President Putin, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov and Lavrov during that August trip. According to MEA, talks included bilateral priorities, trade mechanisms, connectivity, tariff-related concerns and progress on the proposed India–Eurasian Economic Union free trade agreement.India and Russia formalised their strategic partnership in 2000 and elevated it in 2010 to a “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership”. With high-level engagements lined up over the next few weeks, including Putin’s anticipated summit visit, today’s meetings in Moscow add another layer to India’s diplomatic calendar with Russia. Go to Source
