New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, Wednesday and expressed concern about Indian nationals stuck in the war zone with Ukraine.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is slated to visit Russia this month for wide-ranging talks with Vladimir Putin, has skipped this year’s SCO conclave, a multilateral grouping established by China, Russia and three Central Asian countries in 2001.
The SCO is increasingly seen as an alternative to Western multilateral platforms led by the US and its allies. India had the presidency last year, when the SCO was held in a virtual format.
Meanwhile, it is unclear if Jaishankar will meet Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, though if it were to take place, it would be on the second day of the summit. Yi is accompanying President Xi Jinping, who will head to Tajikistan for an official state visit after the summit.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, currently on a state visit to Tajikistan, is also expected to attend the meet in Astana.
Jaishankar will also meet counterparts from Belarus, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres. The SCO has been an observer in the UN General Assembly since 2005.
In his meeting with Lavrov, Jaishankar raised India’s “strong concern” about Indians stuck in the war with Ukraine, many of whom had fallen for a fraudulent recruitment scheme. The Indian foreign minister “pressed for their safe and expeditious return”, read his statement on X.
Good to meet Russian FM Sergey Lavrov in Astana today.
Wide ranging conversation on our bilateral partnership and contemporary issues. Noted the progress in many areas since our last meeting in December 2023.
Raised our strong concern on Indian nationals who are currently in… pic.twitter.com/pPlM4HSesr
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 3, 2024
Four Indians have died in the Russia-Ukraine war so far and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has maintained that it is “pressing hard with Russia” for the early discharge of the remaining Indians. India has also demanded a halt to any further recruitment of its nationals by the Russian Army.
In Jaishankar’s wide-ranging discussion with Lavrov, both ministers noted the progress in the bilateral relationship since their last meeting in December 2023 when the Indian foreign minister had travelled to Moscow. “Also discussed the global strategic landscape and exchanged assessments and views,” Jaishankar said in his statement about their latest meeting.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
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