New Delhi: Amid rising tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh between two Himalayan giants, India and Russia on Thursday agreed to maintain the momentum of bilateral contacts and consultations.
The troops of India and China have been engaged in standoff at multiple locations in the LAC areas since early May.
India and Russia will hold the annual bilateral summit in India later this year to take forward their cooperation in the fields of defence, space, energy among others.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin and discussed the COVID-19 pandemic in their respective countries.
“Prime Minister conveyed his keenness to welcome President Putin in India for the bilateral Summit,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
President Putin thanked him for the phone call and reiterated his commitment to further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries in all spheres, it added.
Mr Modi warmly congratulated him on the success of celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the victory in the Second World War, and also for successful completion of the vote on constitutional amendments in Russia.
He recalled the participation of an Indian contingent in the military parade held in Moscow on June 24, as a symbol of abiding friendship between the peoples of India and Russia.
The leaders took note of the effective measures undertaken by the two countries to address the negative consequences of the Covid-19 global pandemic and agreed on the importance of closer India-Russia ties for jointly addressing the challenges of the post-COVID world, it said.
