India, Russia to hold first-ever 2+2 ministerial dialogue on December 6 in New Delhi

Source : Times Now

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar following their talks in New Delhi, India, April 6, 2021 (Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service photo via AP Images).

The first Indo-Russian 2+2, with the foreign and defence ministers of both countries taking part, will be held in New Delhi on 6 December.  The Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov and his cabinet colleage, defence minister Sergey Shoygu, will be meeting defence minister Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister, S. Jaishankar. The visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin, as announced earlier, follows immediately after. 

This is the first 2+2 with Russia. India has a similar arrangement with only the United States of America, Japan and Australia. In fact, a 2+2 is due with the Americans and both Singh and Jaishankar are expected to be in Washington DC soon.

This time, the meeting will be after the discussions with the Russians, still India’s closest defence partner, the S-400 air defence system beginning to arrive in India, despite American protests.

A number of issues including the situation in Afghanistan, co-production of defence equipment and weaponry, easy supply of spares and the possible transfer of another nuclear-powered submarine to India– something the Russians have already offered– are on the cards. 

And right after that, is the Putin visit. Covid has delayed the bilateral between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Putin.  Now, the meeting is likely next month.