Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to discuss a gamut of issues including trade and investment, tourism, trade and energy during the Indian leader's upcoming visit to Russia on September 4-6.
Modi is slated to attend the fifth Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok and participate in the 20th annual bilateral summit with Putin.
"The meeting in Vladivostok, which is called a Pacific capital of Russia, will open a new chapter in the Russia-India special and privileged strategic partnership," Russian Ambassador to India Nikolay Kudashev said at an event here.
He stressed that relevant bilateral agreements will be inked in various key sectors.
"We are eager to successfully implement huge infrastructure projects such as Vladivostok-Chennai sea route transport corridor, Northern Sea Route as well as other initiatives, which would efficiently involve transit potential of Russia for the benefits to our bilateral cooperation," the envoy said.
Kudashev noted that the EEF is becoming another promising platform streamlining Russian-Indian business-to-business interaction like Saint Petersburg Economic Forum or Vibrant Gujarat.
"All that would comprehensively enlarge our traditional agenda and significantly supplement ongoing efforts to further expand our bilateral trade up to USD 30 billion by 2025," he said.
The diplomat underlined that a new impetus will be given to new forms of collaboration in military, nuclear, hydrocarbon and alternative energy, manufacturing, agriculture, finance and science and technology.
Reiterating that Kashmir issue is to be resolved bilaterally by India and Pakistan, Kudashev said that it has "no role" to play in the matter unless both the South Asian countries ask for the mediation. He also said that during a meeting in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Moscow reiterated that revocation of Article 370 was India's internal matter.
Echoing similar sentiments, Deputy Chief of Russian Embassy in India, Roman Babushkin, informed that during the closed-door event at the UNSC, Russia reiterated that Kashmir is an internal issue of India.
"Russia has no role to play in India-Pakistan dispute unless both ask for mediation. During the closed-door event at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), we reiterated that Kashmir is an internal issue of India," said Babushkin.
He stressed that Russia's position in Aksai Chin and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is clear. "We would encourage dialogue on these issues. Territorial disputes are complicated. It should be solved by political diplomacy and dialogue," Babushkin said.
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