India opens two new consulates in Russia

New Delhi: India opened two more consulates in Russia, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar saying that they would help reach the target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin to raise the annual bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030.

Jaishankar opened the Consulate General of India in Yekaterinburg and the Consulate General of India in Kazan at an event in Moscow.

“Yekaterinburg is often called the third capital of Russia due to its industrial importance and is the gateway to Siberia. Known for its heavy engineering, gem-cutting, defence manufacturing, metallurgy, nuclear fuel, chemicals and medical equipment, the region hosts one of the most prominent international economic forums in Russia, like INNOPROM,” the external affairs minister said.

He noted that the CGI Yekaterinburg would give impetus to efforts for enabling and strengthening the technological, scientific, economic and trade collaboration between Indian and Russian industries.

Kazan is one of the most visited cities in Russia after Moscow and St Petersburg, he said, noting the city’s role as a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic hub and a bridge between Russia and the rest of Asia. He said that the CGI Kazan would help strengthen people-to-people ties by encouraging cross-cultural exchanges and participation in the ITEC (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation) programme.

“Kazan is well known for its oil production and refining, for fertilisers, automobiles, defence manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and electrical equipment. I am confident that with the opening of the two new consulates, there will be a further strengthening of India-Russia ties, and this will surely mark a new phase in our relationship,” said Jaishankar.

He said that the new consulates would contribute to the joint efforts of India and Russia to increase the bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030, “as envisaged by the leaders (Modi and Putin)”.

The Indian diaspora in Russia includes more than 30,000 students, and, out of them, approximately 7000 reside in the jurisdiction of the CGI in Kazan and 3000 in the jurisdiction of the CGI Yekaterinburg.