Maritime corridor, expanding strategic ties in focus ahead of Shringla’s Russia visit

New Delhi, Feb 16: Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla is set to pay a two-day visit to Russia beginning Wednesday during which both sides will deliberate on bilateral as well as topical issues of regional and global importance, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday. It is expected that both sides will be revitalizing the Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor as well as improving the trading network that is valued at about $10 billion (Rs 7,000 crore).

 

 

The visit will also cover details about the Indo-Russia summit which is conducted annually and is to be hosted by India this time. Matters related to the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) summit that New Delhi will host this year are also expected to be discussed. Besides, the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin had to be scrapped off in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

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Meanwhile, extensive discussions might be held on how to “operationalize” the Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor (VCMC), a 5,600-nautical mile-long route that would greatly reduce the sea distance between the two cities by allowing traffic to bypass the Suez Canal and Europe. The route passes through the Sea of Japan before ending at Vladivostok, the largest Russian city in the eastern region.

 

 

This diplomatic visit is being given high priority and will go over many important matters because it is first visit in this year abroad by the foreign secretary to Moscow. The MEA said this visit "signifies the importance India attaches to its close and friendly relations with Russia."

 

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla will pay an official visit to Moscow on February 17-18 at the invitation of Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov. He will hold the next round of India-Russia foreign office consultations with Deputy Foreign Minister Morgulov, during which the two sides will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including the forthcoming high-level exchanges.

 

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The MEA said both sides will also exchange views on topical issues of regional and international importance. The foreign secretary will also deliver a speech on 'India-Russia relations' at the prestigious Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it said.

 

"Despite the COVID-19 pandemic situation, India and Russia have sustained the momentum of the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries," the MEA said.