Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, 1 April, met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is on a visit to New Delhi amid the war in Ukraine.
The meeting lasted for 40 minutes and Lavrov also informed the prime minister about various bilateral initiatives.
Lavrov briefed the prime minister on the situation in Ukraine, including the ongoing peace negotiations. Meanwhile, PM Modi reiterated his call for an early cessation of violence, and conveyed India's readiness to contribute in any way to the peace efforts.
The Russian foreign minister also updated PM Modi on the progress of decisions taken during the India-Russia bilateral Summit held in December 2021.
Earlier in the day, Lavrov had met External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. This is the first high-level visit from Russia since the war began.
What Happened in Lavrov's Meeting With Jaishankar?
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had met External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Friday, after which he said that Indian foreign policies were "characterised by independence and the concentration on real national legitimate interests."
Stating that the same policy is applied in the Russian Federation, Lavrov said that this made India and Russia, "as big countries, good friends and loyal partners."
Speaking about India's purchase of Russian crude oil, Lavrov said, "If India wants to buy anything from Russia, we are ready to discuss it."
Meanwhile, Jaishankar said, "Concluded talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Discussed bilateral cooperation and developments in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iran, Indo-Pacific, ASEAN and the Indian sub-continent."
"Our meeting today takes place in a difficult international environment, apart from the pandemic. India, as you know, has always been in favour of resolving disputes and differences through dialogue and diplomacy," Jaishankar said after the meeting in New Delhi.
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