File photo of Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Moscow: The Kremlin said on Thursday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had an open invitation to visit Russia and that a meeting with President Vladimir Putin would take place, though details were still to be worked out.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was responding to a question about a report that Putin had invited Modi to visit Russia.
"This has yet to be agreed through diplomatic channels," Peskov told reporters.
"In any case, meetings will take place in the first half of this year, we hope, in a multilateral format, and there will also be bilateral talks on the margins.
"Of course, the prime minister of India has an open invitation to visit our country."
Russia and India enjoy close ties. Moscow ramped up its oil exports to India after Western sanctions over Ukraine began to bite.
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