In a significant development, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Wednesday that Moscow is prepared to kickstart the production of modern weapons as part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative. Lavrov made this statement after talks with Bharat Foreign Minister S Jaishankar during his five-day visit to Russia.
The discussions revolved around the outlook for military-technical cooperation between Russia and Bharat, emphasizing joint production of contemporary weaponry. Lavrov expressed optimism, stating, “There is concrete progress on this track,” and reiterated Russia’s readiness to support Bharat’s initiative in producing military goods under the Make in Bharat program.
Historically, Russia has been a key supplier of defense equipment to Bharat. However, with the deepening ties between Bharat and the United States, New Delhi has diversified its military equipment imports, including various American defense items.
In addition to military collaboration, Lavrov highlighted the imminent implementation of the North-South transport corridor project. Initially signed in 2000 by Russia, Bharat, and Iran, the project aims to establish a multimodal transport corridor facilitating freight traffic from Bharat, Iran, and the Persian Gulf countries to Europe via Russian territory. Lavrov expressed confidence in the project’s realization, noting its widespread enthusiasm among participant countries.
The foreign minister emphasized the broadening of cooperation between Russia and Bharat, outlining specific steps for collaboration. This includes the launch of the North-South international transport corridor, the establishment of the Chennai-Vladivostok route, and joint efforts in developing the Northern Sea Route.
During the bilateral talks, Jaishankar echoed the sentiment of a robust and enduring relationship between the two nations. He emphasized the special and privileged strategic partnership shared by Bharat and Russia. The discussions covered various spheres of bilateral cooperation, adapting to changing circumstances and global demands.
Key topics of the talks included an assessment of the international strategic situation, addressing conflicts and tensions globally, focusing on development challenges faced by the Global South, and deliberating on the state of multilateralism with an emphasis on building a multi-polar world order. The outcomes of these discussions are expected to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Russia and India.
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