Russia-India Parliamentary Talks Focus on Science and Trade
Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Tuesday held talks with a visiting Russian parliamentary delegation in New Delhi, with both sides agreeing to explore ways of expanding cooperation in parliamentary affairs, trade, science, technology and culture. The delegation was headed by Viacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament.
The meeting was part of Volodin's official visit to India, which coincided with the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum 2026 in the capital. Russia's Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, was among the officials present.
According to a statement shared by the Vice President's Secretariat on X, the two sides discussed strengthening bilateral relations for their mutual advantage. The talks also covered ways to promote trade and broaden cooperation in science and technology, along with cultural exchanges.
A day before the Vice President's meeting, External Affairs Minister S. Jayashankar held separate talks with Volodin and the delegation in New Delhi. The discussions centred on bilateral cooperation and the potential for deeper parliamentary links. Jayashankar later posted on X that he was glad to meet the Russian delegation and that both sides had explored opportunities to grow ties between their legislatures.
Volodin's remarks at the BRICS Parliamentary Forum on Monday set the tone for his engagements. Addressing the plenary session, he said BRICS members share a commitment to building a multipolar world and recognising each country's right to chart its own sovereign development path, even as their political systems and economic models differ.
"Our countries are united by the principle of respecting national laws and different approaches," he said, adding that BRICS had become a major pillar of a fair global order over its two decades of existence.
Volodin also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the forum's inauguration, where he passed on greetings from Russian President Vladimir Putin. During his stay, he has been holding bilateral discussions with several counterparts on the sidelines of the forum.