India-Russia friendship has stood test of time: PM Modi

The pandemic highlighted the importance of the health and pharma sectors in our bilateral cooperation, he said

India’s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and Russia’s Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex LLC signed an agreement for collaboration in the construction of commercial ships, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the bilateral relations between New Delhi and Moscow has stood the test of time.

India-Russia friendship was recently seen in the “robust cooperation during the Covid-19 pandemic including in the area of vaccines”, the Prime Minister said, before adding: “The pandemic highlighted the importance of the health and pharma sectors in our bilateral cooperation. Energy is another major pillar of our strategic partnership.”

He was virtually addressing the plenary session of the 6th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) being held in Vladivostok by the Russian Government.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chaired the plenary session of the EEF.

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Putin had hosted Modi for the last edition of the EEF in 2019.

Modi recalled that he and Putin had visited the Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex in 2019.

“India and Russia are partners in space exploration through the Gaganyaan program. India and Russia will also be partner in the opening of the Northern Sea Route for international trade and commerce,” the Prime Minister said.

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He recalled the visit of Chief Ministers of the states of India to EEF-2019. He extended an invitation to the governors of the 11 regions of the Russian Far East to visit India.

Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, is leading a delegation of the oil and gas companies of India to the EEF.

“Indian workers are participating in major gas projects in the Amur region, from Yamal to Vladivostok and onward to Chennai. We envisage an energy and trade bridge. I am happy that the Chennai - Vladivostok Maritime Corridor is making headway,” the Prime Minister said. “This connectivity project along with the International North-South Corridor will bring India and Russia physically closer to each other.”