Russia invites India for 7th Eastern Economic Forum to be held on Sep 5-8 in Vladivostok

Russian Federation on July 29 extended a formal invitation to India to attend the 7th Eastern Economic Forum [EEF] to discuss the issues pertaining to the far Eastern regions and the Arctic. "Indian delegation was invited to participate in the Arctic segment of the 7th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on September 5-8, 2022, which will include a presentation on the investment potential of Russian regions," Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in a statement.

Chair of the Arctic Council Committee of Senior Arctic Officials, and Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Cooperation of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nikolay Korchunov also met with Sanjay Verma, the Secretary [West] of the Ministry of External Affairs of India. The two counterparts held consultations on the upcoming summit scheduled in the upcoming month.

Moscow's Korchunov held discussions on Arctic issues with his Indian counterpart Verma as well as prospects to boost the investment in the Far East region. 

"The consultations were attended by representatives of the Russian Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Arctic, Rosatom State Corporation, the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, and the Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation," Russia's Ministry of External Affairs announced in a release on July 29. 

The sides affirmed to deepen Russian-Indian cooperation in high latitudes in both bilateral and multilateral formats, including the Arctic Council. They also noted a significant potential for promoting cooperation in the economy, transport, science and culture, including contacts through regional and public organisations. Last year, the EEF summit was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi via video conferencing. India's premier highlighted the significance of the India-Russia relationship and the potential areas of cooperation in line with the ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership’.

India’s commitment as 'reliable partner' of Russia

Russia's President Vladimir Putin also paid a working visit to New Delhi in December 2021 to attend the India–Russia Annual Summit to affirm his commitment to India-Moscow's long-standing and time-tested partnership. The leaders of the two ally nations had agreed to expand the bilateral cooperation in the key areas: political and strategic, economy, energy, military and security, science and technology, culture and humanitarian cooperation. 

India's leader Narendra Modi and head of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. Credit: PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi applauded Russia’s vision for the development of the Russian Far East region and reaffirmed India’s commitment as a reliable partner of Russia in line with the Act East Policy. The two nations had struck new economic cooperation for diamond, coking coal, steel, timber etc. The EEF was established in the year 2015 by the decree of the President of the Russian Federation and takes place every year in the Russian city of Vladivostok. It includes several partner nations from the Asia-Pacific region.