India and Russia are considering the possibility of holding their maiden 2+2 dialogue of defence and foreign ministers around the time of the annual summit in December because of scheduling issues, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
It was earlier expected that the 2+2 dialogue between defence minister Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister S Jaishankar and their Russian counterparts Sergey Shoygu and Sergey Lavrov would be held in Moscow in the last week of November.
However, with the 25-day winter session of Parliament beginning on November 29 and a recent spike in Covid-19 cases in Russia, both sides are looking at the possibility of holding the 2+2 meeting in New Delhi around the time of the summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin on December 6, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.
The first edition of India-Russia ‘2+2’ defence and foreign ministerial dialogue may be held alongside a summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin that is likely to take place on December 6, people familiar with the developments said.
The two sides are looking at holding the ‘2+2’ dialogue around the time of the summit primarily due to scheduling issues, they said.
Scheduled to hold the dialogue with their Russian counterparts Sergey Lavrov and Sergey Shoygu.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh are scheduled to hold the dialogue with their Russian counterparts Sergey Lavrov and Sergey Shoygu.
Jaishankar and Singh were to travel to Moscow in the last week of November but the plan is being amended primarily due to the Winter session of Parliament that is scheduled from November 29.
The two ministers were also likely to travel to Washington for the India-US ‘2+2’ dialogue with US Secretay of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin later this month or early December.
But, the people cited above said the talks are now likely to be pushed to January.
Putin is likely to visit India for the bilateral summit with Modi on December 6. India
The summit is expected to produce specific outcomes in further expanding ties in areas of defence, trade and energy.
It is learnt that the two sides are going to firm up a number of agreements in the areas of defence, trade and investment, and science and technology at the summit.
The summit was postponed last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both the countries have a mechanism under which India’s prime minister and the Russian president hold a summit meeting annually to review the entire gamut of ties.
So far 20 Annual Summit meetings have taken place alternatively in India and Russia.
Russia has been a time-tested partner for India and a key pillar of New Delhi’s foreign policy.