New Delhi sources stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Delhi for the 19th India-Russia annual summit. Accordingly he will be holding official talks on Friday morning with PM Narendra Modi in Hyderabad House but the two leaders had a one on one meeting within hours of the Russian leader landing in Delhi on Thursday evening and this was followed by a dinner at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.
As per report the two leaders are meeting twice during 24 hours and this comes within five months of the two holding an informal summit in May this year in Sochi. Meanwhile the indications are clear, both India and Russia want to give a fresh impetus to the relationship in the backdrop of what was perceived as New Delhi’s bonhomie with Washington DC resulting in Moscow’s growing proximity to Islamabad.
Moreover it is learnt that during the India-US 2+2
dialogue on September 6, the Americans did understand that India can’t switch
from a Russian dependent system overnight and that it is also in US interest to
not jeopardize India’s security. Furthermore days later while speaking to
the press, Alice Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South
and Central Asian Affairs, said India was not the intended target of Russia and
Iran-related sanctions as also expressed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
