Foreign Secy Shringla to visit Russia from Feb 17

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla will pay an official visit to Moscow on February 17-18, 2021 at the invitation of Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Monday.

According to the external affairs ministry's official statement, Shringla 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.

"During the visit, Foreign Secretary will also meet Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov for an exchange of views on topical issues of regional and international importance. He will also deliver a speech on 'India-Russia relations' at the prestigious Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the MEA said further.

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

"This year's first visit abroad by the Foreign Secretary to Moscow signifies the importance India attaches to its close and friendly relations with the Russian Federation," the MEA said further.

Media reports state that Shringla's visit comes at a time when the ties between Moscow and Brussels (the European Union) are 'boiling' amid the prison sentence of Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny.

( With inputs from ANI )