New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received an invitation for participation in Russia’s Victory Day celebrations next month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Wednesday.
“Our Prime Minister has received an invitation for the participation in the Victory Day celebrations. We will be announcing our participation in the Victory Day celebration at the appropriate time,” Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, Russian media reported that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to attend the celebrations next month.
“[Singh’s visit to Moscow for the parade] is possible,” reported Russia’s state-run news agency Tass, citing Indian government sources.
The celebrations on Red Square in Moscow will mark the 80th anniversary of Russia’s victory in the Great Patriotic War.
“On Tuesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko told journalists that Moscow was expecting Modi at the parade on May 9, and the visit was being worked out,” reported Tass.
The report indicated that participation of a ceremonial detachment of the Indian armed forces in the parade on Red Square is also being worked out.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has stated that many countries have confirmed their participation in the upcoming events on May 9 in Moscow, with invites going out to several foreign leaders from different countries and not just the CIS members.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier invited Prime Minister Modi to attend the celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War in Moscow in May 2020.
Last month, while citing that the political dialogue between India and Russia is “developing dynamically” and is facilitated by the fact that Moscow and New Delhi “have close or even coinciding views on the objectively emerging multipolar world order”, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that preparations are being made for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to India.
“Relations between our countries have a long history. It can be said that they have stood the test of time more than once. Today, Russia and India are developing equal cooperation based on sincere, mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interests,” Lavrov told the participants of the first international conference ‘Russia and India: Towards a New Agenda for Bilateral Relations’ which was also addressed by External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar.
“It is difficult to overestimate the contribution of our leaders to this process. It is symbolic that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first bilateral foreign visit after his re-election last year to Russia. Now it is our turn. Russian President Vladimir Putin accepted the invitation of the head of the Indian government. The visit of the head of the Russian state to the Republic of India is being prepared,” he added.
Earlier, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov had confirmed that Putin is expected to visit India in early 2025 following an invitation from Prime Minister Modi.
The visit is being planned as part of the ongoing commitment to annual meetings between the two leaders.
“Our leaders have an agreement to meet once a year. This time, it is our turn,” Ushakov had said during a press briefing.
The last visit by the Russian President to India took place on December 6, 2021, during the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit in New Delhi.
Meanwhile, PM Modi held two high-profile visits to Russia last year, attending the 22nd Russia-India Summit in July and later participated in the BRICS Summit held in Kazan in October.
–IANS
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