Putin also said that Russia is gratified that despite the global turmoil, the relationship between New Delhi and Moscow has been progressing incrementally.
Tag: vladimir putin
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Putin to skip G20 Summit in Delhi, prepare for ‘special military operation’
By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be travelling to Delhi to attend the G-20 summit, the Kremlin has confirmed.
“President Putin is not planning a trip to the G20 Summit in India. His main emphasis is now a special military operation,” said President Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
As of now, the G20 Summit will be totally an in-person event, and no hybrid facility is open for people who do not attend in person. Unless there is an exception provided for President Putin to attend the Summit virtually (if it happens that will be a last-minute announcement), Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, who will attend the Summit on Putin’s behalf will be a part of the meetings — like he did was during the last Summit in Bali.
At present a few country leaders — US, Australia, Italy, Canada and South Korea — have confirmed their in-person participation. While PM Albanese was the first to confirm his participation, President Biden’s confirmation came just two days back.
Since India is not a signatory of the International Criminal Court (ICC), President Putin would not have been arrested on his arrival. So, that is not the reason for him deciding again visiting Delhi. However, after the brief Wagner coup and the recent death of Wagner’s chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in an air crash, there is a lot Putin needs to handle on the home turf.
“The speculation on President Putin being behind the ill-fated air crash is baseless. These are all total lies,” Peskov said adding that Putin had said all necessary evaluations will be conducted including DNA tests of passengers on board.
Meanwhile, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President, Voldomyr Zelenskyy said that he was disappointed that Zelenskyy was excluded from the list of invites for the G20 Summit in Delhi.
Russia, in the meantime, will have a busy year ahead as it has just taken over the chairship of the BRICS group and will host the next Summit in Kazan next year. With six additional countries that will become full-time members in January 2024, there is a lot that Russia would do to make the 16th BRICS Summit a success, a source added.
NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be travelling to Delhi to attend the G-20 summit, the Kremlin has confirmed.
“President Putin is not planning a trip to the G20 Summit in India. His main emphasis is now a special military operation,” said President Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
As of now, the G20 Summit will be totally an in-person event, and no hybrid facility is open for people who do not attend in person. Unless there is an exception provided for President Putin to attend the Summit virtually (if it happens that will be a last-minute announcement), Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, who will attend the Summit on Putin’s behalf will be a part of the meetings — like he did was during the last Summit in Bali.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
At present a few country leaders — US, Australia, Italy, Canada and South Korea — have confirmed their in-person participation. While PM Albanese was the first to confirm his participation, President Biden’s confirmation came just two days back.
Since India is not a signatory of the International Criminal Court (ICC), President Putin would not have been arrested on his arrival. So, that is not the reason for him deciding again visiting Delhi. However, after the brief Wagner coup and the recent death of Wagner’s chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in an air crash, there is a lot Putin needs to handle on the home turf.
“The speculation on President Putin being behind the ill-fated air crash is baseless. These are all total lies,” Peskov said adding that Putin had said all necessary evaluations will be conducted including DNA tests of passengers on board.
Meanwhile, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President, Voldomyr Zelenskyy said that he was disappointed that Zelenskyy was excluded from the list of invites for the G20 Summit in Delhi.
Russia, in the meantime, will have a busy year ahead as it has just taken over the chairship of the BRICS group and will host the next Summit in Kazan next year. With six additional countries that will become full-time members in January 2024, there is a lot that Russia would do to make the 16th BRICS Summit a success, a source added.
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Fresh dialogue push by Modi in talks with Putin
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to pursue the path of dialogue and diplomacy, saying it was the only way forward to resolve the Ukraine crisis, in their conversation over the phone.
At Modi’s request, Putin gave a “principled assessment regarding Russia’s policy in Ukraine”, the Russian readout of the talks said. The phone call came days after it emerged that Modi will not fly to Russia for the annual India-Russia summit this year.
Both leaders discussed a whole range of bilateral issues. “While expressing satisfaction with the high level of bilateral cooperation that has been developing on the basis of the Russian-Indian privileged strategic partnership, the two leaders discussed in detail the prospects for practical cooperation in mutual investment, energy, agriculture, transport and logistics,” the Kremlin said.
This is the fifth telephonic conversation the two leaders had this year. They spoke first when the conflict began in Ukraine on February 24, a month later they spoke twice on March 2 and 7 and then again on July 1. They also had an in-person meeting in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in September. That was when Modi had famously told Putin “Today’s era is not of war” while urging him to end the aggression in Ukraine so as to keep global supply chains of food, fuel and fertilisers open.
During Friday’s call, Modi briefed Putin on India’s ongoing G20 presidency, highlighting its key priorities. He also looked forward to both countries working together when India chairs the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
The India-Russia Annual Summit had to be skipped this year due to scheduling issues. This was for the second time in 22 years that the summit did not take place. Last time it was skipped in 2020 due to the outbreak of the pandemic.
Putin had come for the summit to India on December 6, 2021 and had extended an invite to Modi to visit Russia this year, but it could not materialise. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had visited Russia last month for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and Deputy Prime Denis Manturov. Jaishankar had said India would support any initiative that de-risks the global economy.
Another day of missile barrage on KyivThe talks came on a day when Russia pounded Ukraine with at least 60 missiles. Explosions were reported in at least four cities, including Kyiv. Ukraine claimed its forces had successfully shot down 37 of about 40 missiles that had entered Kyiv’s airspace
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to pursue the path of dialogue and diplomacy, saying it was the only way forward to resolve the Ukraine crisis, in their conversation over the phone.
At Modi’s request, Putin gave a “principled assessment regarding Russia’s policy in Ukraine”, the Russian readout of the talks said. The phone call came days after it emerged that Modi will not fly to Russia for the annual India-Russia summit this year.
Both leaders discussed a whole range of bilateral issues. “While expressing satisfaction with the high level of bilateral cooperation that has been developing on the basis of the Russian-Indian privileged strategic partnership, the two leaders discussed in detail the prospects for practical cooperation in mutual investment, energy, agriculture, transport and logistics,” the Kremlin said.
This is the fifth telephonic conversation the two leaders had this year. They spoke first when the conflict began in Ukraine on February 24, a month later they spoke twice on March 2 and 7 and then again on July 1. They also had an in-person meeting in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in September. That was when Modi had famously told Putin “Today’s era is not of war” while urging him to end the aggression in Ukraine so as to keep global supply chains of food, fuel and fertilisers open.
During Friday’s call, Modi briefed Putin on India’s ongoing G20 presidency, highlighting its key priorities. He also looked forward to both countries working together when India chairs the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
The India-Russia Annual Summit had to be skipped this year due to scheduling issues. This was for the second time in 22 years that the summit did not take place. Last time it was skipped in 2020 due to the outbreak of the pandemic.
Putin had come for the summit to India on December 6, 2021 and had extended an invite to Modi to visit Russia this year, but it could not materialise. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had visited Russia last month for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and Deputy Prime Denis Manturov. Jaishankar had said India would support any initiative that de-risks the global economy.
Another day of missile barrage on Kyiv
The talks came on a day when Russia pounded Ukraine with at least 60 missiles. Explosions were reported in at least four cities, including Kyiv. Ukraine claimed its forces had successfully shot down 37 of about 40 missiles that had entered Kyiv’s airspace -
3 lakh reservists get Vladimir Putin call for war
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced a partial mobilisation of 3 lakh reservists to start pre-emptive military operations in Donbas, weeks after Ukrainian troops managed to recapture vast swathes of its territory from Russian invaders.
This is the first such call-up in Russia since World War II. Timed as it was a day after four regions in Ukraine Luhansk, Kherson, partly Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk decided to hold referendums on amalgamating themselves with Russia, Putin’s attempt to swallow them by weaponising the democratic exercise was clear.
The votes are to be held between September 23 and 27. “Primarily those who served in the armed forces will be called up,’’ the Russian President said. Ahead of his seven-minute televised address, Putin signed an executive order for the immediate mobilisation. Putin also warned he wasn’t bluffing over using everything at his disposal to protect Russia, which was an apparent reference to his nuclear arsenal. He also accused the West of making attempts to weaken, divide and destroy Russia.
“The West has used indiscriminate Russophobia as a weapon… primarily in Ukraine, which was designed to become an anti-Russia bridgehead,” he said. A spokesman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said conscripts sent to Ukraine would face a similar fate as ill-prepared Russian forces who were repelled in an attack on Kyiv in the first days of the war. US national security council spokesperson John Kirby said Putin’s speech is “definitely a sign that he’s struggling.”
Panic, rush to fly out
The partial mobilisation triggered panic in Russia with a large numbers of people rushing to book one-way tickets out of the country. Flights filled up quickly and the prices of tickets zoomed
NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced a partial mobilisation of 3 lakh reservists to start pre-emptive military operations in Donbas, weeks after Ukrainian troops managed to recapture vast swathes of its territory from Russian invaders.
This is the first such call-up in Russia since World War II. Timed as it was a day after four regions in Ukraine Luhansk, Kherson, partly Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk decided to hold referendums on amalgamating themselves with Russia, Putin’s attempt to swallow them by weaponising the democratic exercise was clear.
The votes are to be held between September 23 and 27. “Primarily those who served in the armed forces will be called up,’’ the Russian President said. Ahead of his seven-minute televised address, Putin signed an executive order for the immediate mobilisation. Putin also warned he wasn’t bluffing over using everything at his disposal to protect Russia, which was an apparent reference to his nuclear arsenal. He also accused the West of making attempts to weaken, divide and destroy Russia.
“The West has used indiscriminate Russophobia as a weapon… primarily in Ukraine, which was designed to become an anti-Russia bridgehead,” he said. A spokesman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said conscripts sent to Ukraine would face a similar fate as ill-prepared Russian forces who were repelled in an attack on Kyiv in the first days of the war. US national security council spokesperson John Kirby said Putin’s speech is “definitely a sign that he’s struggling.”
Panic, rush to fly out
The partial mobilisation triggered panic in Russia with a large numbers of people rushing to book one-way tickets out of the country. Flights filled up quickly and the prices of tickets zoomed
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Today’s era is not of war, Modi tells Putin in SCO Summit
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: On a day India took charge of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Presidency at Samarkand in Uzbekistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin at their bilateral meeting on Friday to end the Ukraine conflict, saying, “Today’s era is not of war.”
In response, Putin said, “I know your position on the conflict in Ukraine, your concerns you constantly express. We will do our best to stop this as soon as possible.’’
Putin also pointed to the growing export of Russian fertilizers to India.
“Deliveries of fertilizers from Russia to India have increased by more than eight times,” he added.
“I also know tomorrow is your birthday, dear friend. But in Russian tradition we do not wish in advance but I want you to know we remember this,” Putin told Modi who rings in his 72nd birthday on Saturday.
Modi also held bilateral talks with Iran, Uzbekistan and Turkey.
In his bilateral with Iran, Modi and President Ebrahim Raisi assessed the progress in trade and discussed energy ties as also trade through the Chabahar port where India is heavily invested.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russia President Vladimir Putin during their bilateral in Uzbekistan on Friday | PTI
One of Modi’s surprise meetings was with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The two leaders spoke about bilateral trade enhancement of commercial linkages. There was no interaction with China though its President Xi Jinping said, “We will support India during its Presidency of SCO.”
“All the meetings that were scheduled did take place,’’ said Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra.
Modi announced Varanasi as the first-ever SCO tourist and cultural capital for the grouping for 2022-23. During the course of India’s Presidency, many cultural events will be organised in Varanasi by SCO.
A joint declaration at the end of the summit said the grouping aimed to prepare a single list of terrorist, separatist and extremist outfits whose activities are banned on the territories of the member states, with an aim to counter threats posed by them to the region.
VARANASI CAPITAL
With India taking over SCO’s rotating Presidency, all member states endorsed Varanasi as the first-ever tourist and cultural capital of the grouping for the year 2022-23.
With India taking over SCO’s rotating Presidency, all member states endorsed Varanasi as the first-ever tourist and cultural capital of the grouping for the year 2022-23.
NEW DELHI: On a day India took charge of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Presidency at Samarkand in Uzbekistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin at their bilateral meeting on Friday to end the Ukraine conflict, saying, “Today’s era is not of war.”
In response, Putin said, “I know your position on the conflict in Ukraine, your concerns you constantly express. We will do our best to stop this as soon as possible.’’
Putin also pointed to the growing export of Russian fertilizers to India.
“Deliveries of fertilizers from Russia to India have increased by more than eight times,” he added.
“I also know tomorrow is your birthday, dear friend. But in Russian tradition we do not wish in advance but I want you to know we remember this,” Putin told Modi who rings in his 72nd birthday on Saturday.
Modi also held bilateral talks with Iran, Uzbekistan and Turkey.
In his bilateral with Iran, Modi and President Ebrahim Raisi assessed the progress in trade and discussed energy ties as also trade through the Chabahar port where India is heavily invested.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russia President Vladimir Putin during their bilateral in Uzbekistan on Friday | PTI
One of Modi’s surprise meetings was with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The two leaders spoke about bilateral trade enhancement of commercial linkages. There was no interaction with China though its President Xi Jinping said, “We will support India during its Presidency of SCO.”
“All the meetings that were scheduled did take place,’’ said Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra.
Modi announced Varanasi as the first-ever SCO tourist and cultural capital for the grouping for 2022-23. During the course of India’s Presidency, many cultural events will be organised in Varanasi by SCO.
A joint declaration at the end of the summit said the grouping aimed to prepare a single list of terrorist, separatist and extremist outfits whose activities are banned on the territories of the member states, with an aim to counter threats posed by them to the region.
VARANASI CAPITAL
With India taking over SCO’s rotating Presidency, all member states endorsed Varanasi as the first-ever tourist and cultural capital of the grouping for the year 2022-23.
With India taking over SCO’s rotating Presidency, all member states endorsed Varanasi as the first-ever tourist and cultural capital of the grouping for the year 2022-23.
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SCO should create trusted supply chains; members should give each other transit rights: PM Modi
By PTI
SAMARKAND: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to create trusted and resilient supply chains to offset the disruptions caused by the Ukraine crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic and said the members of the grouping should give each other full transit rights to expand connectivity.
With Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif listening, Modi, addressing the annual summit of the bloc, said India supports “greater cooperation and mutual trust” among the SCO member states even as he pitched for concerted efforts to combat terrorism.
Modi’s emphasis on full transit rights comes amid Pakistan’s reluctance to provide such a facility to India for trade with other countries such as Afghanistan.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said the SCO agreed to work towards developing a unified list of terrorist, separatist and extremist organisations whose activities are prohibited on the territories of the member states.
It is for the first time Modi and Xi came face-to-face since the start of the border standoff between India and China in eastern Ladakh around 28 months back.
In his remarks, Modi said the pandemic and the Ukraine crisis have caused many disruptions in global supply chains, leaving the world facing “unprecedented” energy and food crises.
At a late evening media briefing, Kwatra said Modi shared India’s perspective on regional and international situations including in Afghanistan and emphasised on the centrality of the aspirations of the central asian nations in the SCO.
The prime minister also called for greater cooperation to fight terrorism in the region including under the framework of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of SCO (RATS SCO).
He said Modi strongly put across India’s position on Afghanistan which essentially focused on the human-centric nature of assistance and that New Delhi favours an inclusive government in Kabul.
The prime minister also mentioned the Chabahar port project as well as the International North-South Transport Corridor while highlighting the need for boosting regional connectivity, Kwatra said.
In his address, Modi said the SCO, with almost 30 per cent of the global GDP and 40 per cent of the world’s population, has an important role to play in global economic recovery.
Highlighting India’s growth trajectory, the prime minister also said that the Indian economy is expected to grow by 7.5 per cent this year, which will be the highest among the world’s largest economies.
“India supports greater cooperation and mutual trust among SCO members. The pandemic and the crisis in Ukraine have caused many disruptions in global supply chains, leaving the world facing unprecedented energy and food crises,” he said.
“The SCO should strive to develop reliable, resilient and diversified supply chains in our region. For this, better connectivity will be required, as well as it will also be important that we all give full rights of transit to each other,” he said.
At the summit, Uzbekistan handed over the rotating presidency of the eight-member SCO to India. In his address, Chinese President Xi conveyed China’s congratulations to India on assuming the SCO presidency.
“We will, together with other member states, support India during its presidency,” he said.
Referring to food security crisis across the globe, the prime minister pitched for the promotion of the cultivation and consumption of millets.
“The world today faces another major challenge, and that is ensuring the food security of our citizens. One possible solution to this problem is to promote the cultivation and consumption of millets,” he said.
ALSO READ: We want to transform India into a manufacturing hub, says PM Modi at SCO Summit
“Millets is a superfood that has been grown for thousands of years, not only in SCO countries, but in many parts of the world, and is a traditional, nutritious and low-cost alternative to the food crisis,” Modi said.
The prime minister said the SCO should consider organising a ‘Millet Food Festival’.
Talking about economic cooperation, the prime minister said the role of the SCO has become very important when the whole world is facing the challenges of economic recovery after the pandemic.
“We are making progress on making India a manufacturing hub. India’s young and talented workforce makes us naturally competitive. India’s economy is expected to grow at 7.5 per cent this year, which will be the highest among the world’s major economies,” Modi said.
The prime minister also talked about India’s focus on proper use of technology in its people-centric development model.
“We are supporting innovation in every sector. Today there are over 70,000 start-ups in India, of which over 100 are unicorns. This experience of ours can be of use to many other SCO members as well,” the prime minister said.
“For this purpose, we are ready to share our experience with the member countries of SCO by establishing a new Special Working Group on Startups and Innovation,” he added.
The prime minister said India today is one of the most affordable destinations for medical and wellness tourism in the world.
“The WHO Global Center for Traditional Medicine was inaugurated in Gujarat in April 2022. This will be the WHO’s first and only Global Center for Traditional Medicine,” Modi said.
“We should increase cooperation on traditional medicine among SCO countries. For this, India will take initiative on a new SCO Working Group on Traditional Medicine,” he said.
Following the summit, the leaders signed the Samarkand Declaration and adopted a package of documents.
The SCO Heads of State Council adopted statements for cooperation in areas of climate change, reliable, sustainable and diversified supply chains, and on ensuring global food security and international energy security.
The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Over the years, it has emerged as one of the largest trans-regional international organisations. India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017.
SAMARKAND: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to create trusted and resilient supply chains to offset the disruptions caused by the Ukraine crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic and said the members of the grouping should give each other full transit rights to expand connectivity.
With Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif listening, Modi, addressing the annual summit of the bloc, said India supports “greater cooperation and mutual trust” among the SCO member states even as he pitched for concerted efforts to combat terrorism.
Modi’s emphasis on full transit rights comes amid Pakistan’s reluctance to provide such a facility to India for trade with other countries such as Afghanistan.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said the SCO agreed to work towards developing a unified list of terrorist, separatist and extremist organisations whose activities are prohibited on the territories of the member states.
It is for the first time Modi and Xi came face-to-face since the start of the border standoff between India and China in eastern Ladakh around 28 months back.
In his remarks, Modi said the pandemic and the Ukraine crisis have caused many disruptions in global supply chains, leaving the world facing “unprecedented” energy and food crises.
At a late evening media briefing, Kwatra said Modi shared India’s perspective on regional and international situations including in Afghanistan and emphasised on the centrality of the aspirations of the central asian nations in the SCO.
The prime minister also called for greater cooperation to fight terrorism in the region including under the framework of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of SCO (RATS SCO).
He said Modi strongly put across India’s position on Afghanistan which essentially focused on the human-centric nature of assistance and that New Delhi favours an inclusive government in Kabul.
The prime minister also mentioned the Chabahar port project as well as the International North-South Transport Corridor while highlighting the need for boosting regional connectivity, Kwatra said.
In his address, Modi said the SCO, with almost 30 per cent of the global GDP and 40 per cent of the world’s population, has an important role to play in global economic recovery.
Highlighting India’s growth trajectory, the prime minister also said that the Indian economy is expected to grow by 7.5 per cent this year, which will be the highest among the world’s largest economies.
“India supports greater cooperation and mutual trust among SCO members. The pandemic and the crisis in Ukraine have caused many disruptions in global supply chains, leaving the world facing unprecedented energy and food crises,” he said.
“The SCO should strive to develop reliable, resilient and diversified supply chains in our region. For this, better connectivity will be required, as well as it will also be important that we all give full rights of transit to each other,” he said.
At the summit, Uzbekistan handed over the rotating presidency of the eight-member SCO to India. In his address, Chinese President Xi conveyed China’s congratulations to India on assuming the SCO presidency.
“We will, together with other member states, support India during its presidency,” he said.
Referring to food security crisis across the globe, the prime minister pitched for the promotion of the cultivation and consumption of millets.
“The world today faces another major challenge, and that is ensuring the food security of our citizens. One possible solution to this problem is to promote the cultivation and consumption of millets,” he said.
ALSO READ: We want to transform India into a manufacturing hub, says PM Modi at SCO Summit
“Millets is a superfood that has been grown for thousands of years, not only in SCO countries, but in many parts of the world, and is a traditional, nutritious and low-cost alternative to the food crisis,” Modi said.
The prime minister said the SCO should consider organising a ‘Millet Food Festival’.
Talking about economic cooperation, the prime minister said the role of the SCO has become very important when the whole world is facing the challenges of economic recovery after the pandemic.
“We are making progress on making India a manufacturing hub. India’s young and talented workforce makes us naturally competitive. India’s economy is expected to grow at 7.5 per cent this year, which will be the highest among the world’s major economies,” Modi said.
The prime minister also talked about India’s focus on proper use of technology in its people-centric development model.
“We are supporting innovation in every sector. Today there are over 70,000 start-ups in India, of which over 100 are unicorns. This experience of ours can be of use to many other SCO members as well,” the prime minister said.
“For this purpose, we are ready to share our experience with the member countries of SCO by establishing a new Special Working Group on Startups and Innovation,” he added.
The prime minister said India today is one of the most affordable destinations for medical and wellness tourism in the world.
“The WHO Global Center for Traditional Medicine was inaugurated in Gujarat in April 2022. This will be the WHO’s first and only Global Center for Traditional Medicine,” Modi said.
“We should increase cooperation on traditional medicine among SCO countries. For this, India will take initiative on a new SCO Working Group on Traditional Medicine,” he said.
Following the summit, the leaders signed the Samarkand Declaration and adopted a package of documents.
The SCO Heads of State Council adopted statements for cooperation in areas of climate change, reliable, sustainable and diversified supply chains, and on ensuring global food security and international energy security.
The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Over the years, it has emerged as one of the largest trans-regional international organisations. India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017.
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Modi to attend regional summit with Russia, China, Pakistan
By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: India said Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in a regional summit in Uzbekistan that according to Russia will see face-to-face talks between Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) comprising China, Russia, four Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan — India and Pakistan is due to take place in Samarkand on September 15 and 16.
On Wednesday Russia’s ambassador to China said that Putin and Xi would meet at the summit, in what will be the Chinese leader’s first trip abroad since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
Beijing’s foreign ministry did not immediately confirm the meeting, with a spokesperson saying at a regular press briefing that “there is no information to provide” on the matter.
The Indian government statement on Sunday did not say whether Modi would hold bilateral talks with Putin, Xi or — for the first time since he became Pakistani prime minister in April — Shehbaz Sharif.
Sourcing most of its arms from Russia, India like China has refused to condemn Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and has ramped up purchases of Russian oil.
India’s relations with China have been frosty since fighting in 2020 on their disputed Himalayan border left at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead. Modi and Xi have not held bilateral talks since 2019.
India is also part of the so-called Quad together with the United States, Japan and Australia, a grouping seen as a bulwark against China.
NEW DELHI: India said Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in a regional summit in Uzbekistan that according to Russia will see face-to-face talks between Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) comprising China, Russia, four Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan — India and Pakistan is due to take place in Samarkand on September 15 and 16.
On Wednesday Russia’s ambassador to China said that Putin and Xi would meet at the summit, in what will be the Chinese leader’s first trip abroad since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
Beijing’s foreign ministry did not immediately confirm the meeting, with a spokesperson saying at a regular press briefing that “there is no information to provide” on the matter.
The Indian government statement on Sunday did not say whether Modi would hold bilateral talks with Putin, Xi or — for the first time since he became Pakistani prime minister in April — Shehbaz Sharif.
Sourcing most of its arms from Russia, India like China has refused to condemn Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and has ramped up purchases of Russian oil.
India’s relations with China have been frosty since fighting in 2020 on their disputed Himalayan border left at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead. Modi and Xi have not held bilateral talks since 2019.
India is also part of the so-called Quad together with the United States, Japan and Australia, a grouping seen as a bulwark against China.
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PM speaks with Putin; reiterates India’s position on Ukraine, favouring dialogue, diplomacy
By PTI
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday during which he reiterated India’s longstanding position on the Ukraine situation, favouring dialogue and diplomacy.
During their telephonic conversation, the two leaders also discussed global issues, including the state of the international energy and food markets, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.
The two leaders reviewed the implementation of the decisions taken during President Putin’s visit to India in December 2021, In particular, they exchanged ideas on how bilateral trade in agricultural goods, fertilizers and pharma products could be encouraged further, it said.
The two leaders also discussed global issues, including the state of the international energy and food markets.
“In the context of the ongoing situation in Ukraine, Prime Minister reiterated India’s long-standing position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy,” the PMO said.
The leaders agreed to maintain regular consultations on global and bilateral issues, it said.
Russia’s TASS new agency quoted Kremlin press as saying that the two leaders discussed pressing issues pertaining to Russian-India ties, while focusing on steps to develop further mutually advantageous economic cooperation.
They expressed mutual willingness to enhance the privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India, the Kremlin press service was quoted as saying in a statement.
It also said that Putin discussed with Modi the progress of the “special military operation” in Ukraine and, in particular, drew attention to the “escalation of the crisis by Kiev and its Western patrons”.
Putin briefed Modi on key aspects of Russia’s military operation, “stressing the dangerous and provocative nature of the line of the Kiev regime and its Western patrons to escalate the crisis and derail efforts to resolve it politically and diplomatically”, the Russian statement said.
“Putin drew attention to the systemic mistakes made by a number of countries, which led to the disruption of free trade in food products and provoked a significant increase in their price. Illegitimate sanctions against Russia have exacerbated an already difficult situation,” the Kremlin press service was quoted as saying.
It also said that Putin stressed that Russia has been and remains a reliable producer and supplier of grain, fertilizers, and energy carriers, including to Indian partners.
The conversation with Putin come days after Modi, in an apparent reference to the Ukraine crisis, had noted that the G7 and those invited at its summit in Germany were meeting amid an atmosphere of global tension and asserted that India has always been in favour of peace.
“Even in the present situation, we have constantly urged for the path of dialogue and diplomacy. The impact of this geopolitical tension is not just limited to Europe. The rising prices of energy and food grains are affecting all the countries,” he had said in his remarks at a G7 summit session.
He had also said the energy and security of developing countries is particularly at risk. Modi has also raised concerns over food security amid the conflict in Ukraine.
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India to attend China-hosted BRICS Summit virtually in June-end
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: After attending the BRICS Sherpas meeting virtually last week, India will attend the BRICS Summit, to be hosted by China virtually. It is likely to be held towards the end of June. The Summit will be attended by PM Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and the heads of state of Brazil and South Africa.
Although India-China’s standoff – over issues concerning the Line of Actual Control – remains a prickly matter, the Summit will be an important one diplomatically, according to experts. Prior to it, India will also attend an in-person Quad Summit on May 24 in Tokyo.
Both Quad and BRICS are diametrically opposite groupings. In Quad the US has positioned itself against China and wants to focus on Indo-Pacific and has also managed to rally support against Russia by the other members (Australia, Japan) barring India. India has maintained that it wants a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
BRICS on the other hand has Russia and China at centre-stage and is seen as a grouping which is against the US. With sanctions imposed on Russia and China being continuously criticised by the US, India will be at odds here too. The issue gets compounded as India and China have not had very cordial relations since the Galwan conflict.
In both the groupings India has so far maintained its own position – which is of neutrality. Close on the heels of the BRICS Summit is the G7 Summit, which is scheduled to take place between June 26th and 28th.
India has yet to receive a formal invite for this, though since the past three G7 meetings it has always been invited. It is a tightrope for India when it comes to diplomacy, however, it has managed well so far having its way without antagonising any grouping.
Meanwhile, during the BRICS Sherpa meet (April 13), discussions were held on various matters, said the Ministry of External Affairs. Those who attended the meeting agreed to further strengthen solidarity and cooperation to address multiple challenges faced globally, including the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recovery.
The meeting was chaired by Ma Zhaoxu, Sherpa for BRICS affairs and vice-foreign minister of China. It was attended by Sherpas of India, Russia, Brazil and South Africa.
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Situation in Ukraine “very worrisome”: PM Modi at virtual meeting with President Biden
By PTI
NEW DELHI: President Joe Biden on Monday said the US and India will continue consultations to cope with the “destabilising” effects of the Russian war in Ukraine during a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi who highlighted the need for direct talks between President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart to resolve the crisis.
In his televised opening remarks, Modi called the situation in Ukraine “very worrisome” and hoped that the ongoing dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv will lead to peace.
A readout by the White House said Modi and Biden discussed the “destabilising impacts of Russia’s war against Ukraine, with a particular focus on global food supply”.
In his remarks, Modi said the recent reports of killings of innocent civilians in Bucha city were very concerning and that India immediately condemned it and demanded a fair investigation.
The prime minister referred to his phone conversations with the Ukrainian and Russian presidents and said he suggested to Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold direct talks with his Ukrainian counterpart.
The virtual meeting came in the midst of some disquiet in Washington over India’s position on the Ukraine crisis as well as its decision to procure discounted Russian oil.
In his remarks Biden talked about the strong India-US defence partnership, stressing that both the countries are going to “continue our close consultation on how to manage the destabilizing effects of this Russian war”.
“Our today’s talks are taking place at a time when the situation in Ukraine remains very worrisome. Till a few weeks ago, more than 20,000 Indians were stranded in Ukraine. And most of these were young students,” Modi said.
The prime minister also noted that an Indian student lost his life in Ukraine. “After a lot of hard work, we were able to get them out of there safely, although one student lost his life. Throughout this development, I spoke on the phone several times with the Presidents of both Ukraine and Russia,” he said.
“Not only did I appeal for peace, but I also suggested President Putin to have direct talks with the President of Ukraine. The subject of Ukraine has been discussed in great detail in our Parliament as well,” Modi added.
The Modi-Biden meeting took place ahead of the fourth India-US ‘2+2’ dialogue in Washington which will be led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the Indian side and their US counterparts, Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony J Blinken.
Singh, Jaishankar, Austin and Blinken were at the White House during the Modi-Biden talks.
“The two leaders had an extensive exchange of views on several regional and global issues, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, global economic recovery, climate action, recent developments in South Asia and the Indo-Pacific region, and the situation in Ukraine,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
It said Modi and Biden also took stock of the significant progress made in bilateral relations in recent years.
“Both leaders agreed that further strengthening of the India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership would be of tremendous benefit to the two countries, and would also contribute to global peace, prosperity and stability,” it said.
In his remarks, Biden said continued consultation and dialogue between India and the US are key to ensuring that the relationship keeps growing “deeper and stronger delivering our people and our global good that we all are seeking to manage particularly in your part of the world.”
“I want to welcome India’s humanitarian support for the people of Ukraine who are suffering the horrific assault including a tragic shelling on a train station last week that killed dozens of innocent children, women and civilians attempting to flee the violence,” Biden said.
“The root of our partnership is a deep connection between our people, ties of family, of friendship and of shared values,” the US president said.
At the meeting, Modi also talked about India’s humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
“We have also placed importance on the safety of civilian people in Ukraine and the uninterrupted supply of humanitarian aid to them and which you have just mentioned in the beginning,” Modi said.
“On our behalf, we have sent medicines and other relief materials to Ukraine and its neighbouring countries. And on the demand of Ukraine we are sending another consignment of medicines very soon,” he said.
The prime minister also referred to Biden’s slogan at the very beginning of his that ‘democracies can deliver’. “The success of India-US partnership is the best way to make this slogan meaningful,” he said.
Referring to the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries, Modi said he was confident that India-US friendship will be an integral part of India’s development journey for the next 25 years.
“In September last year, when I came to Washington, and which you have just mentioned, you said that the India-US partnership can contribute to resolving many global problems. I completely agree with you,” Modi said. “As the world’s two largest and oldest democracies, we are natural partners,” he said.
The White House said the two leaders committed to strengthening the US-India relationship through cooperation on clean energy, technology and military cooperation, and expanded economic and people-to-people ties.
“They also committed to continuing cooperation — bilaterally and multilaterally — on ending the COVID-19 pandemic, strengthening global health security, advancing global food security, and ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific,” it said.
“They emphasized their shared commitment, as leaders of the world’s largest democracies, to respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations in the Indo-Pacific and beyond,” the White House said.
Unlike its Quad partner countries, India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and it abstained from the votes at the UN platforms on the Russian aggression.
India has been pressing for an immediate cessation of violence in Ukraine and seeking a resolution of the crisis through diplomacy and dialogue.
Modi has held phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, March 2 and March 7. He had also spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy twice.
In a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on April 1, Modi conveyed that India stands ready to contribute in any way to the peace efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.