On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Kremlin, and they issued a joint statement regarding the outcomes of the summit "Russia and India: Strong and Expanding Partnership."
The statement clarified, "Prime Minister Modi of the Republic of India, at the invitation of President Putin of the Russian Federation, visited Moscow from July 8 to 9, 2024, for an official visit and participated in the 22nd annual Russia-India summit."
It added: "During the visit, the Russian president presented the Prime Minister of India with the highest state award in Russia - the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, for his distinguished contribution to the development of a particularly special strategic partnership between Russia and India and the friendly relations between the peoples of the two countries."
The leaders noted the ongoing strengthening and expansion of the distinguished strategic partnership between Russia and India, according to the statement. They continued: "The leaders praised the special nature of this relationship, which has stood the test of time, based on trust, mutual understanding, and strategic convergence. Regular communications at all levels, including during India's presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the G20 in 2023 and Russia's presidency of Brics in 2024, have contributed to deepening the growing bilateral partnership."
It pointed out that "the leaders positively value the mutually beneficial multifaceted Russian-Indian relations, which cover various fields of cooperation, including politics, strategic planning, military and security, trade and investment, energy, science and technology, and cooperation in the peaceful use of atomic energy, space, culture, education, and human interaction. It was noted with satisfaction that alongside the continued strengthening of traditional areas of cooperation, the parties are actively exploring new fields."
