PM Modi To Visit Russia, Austria From July 8-10

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to Russia and Austria on July 8-10, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Thursday.

As per the official press release, PM Modi will be in Moscow on July 8,9 at the invitation of Russian President Vladmir Putin to hold the 22nd India-Russia annual summit.

“The leaders will review the entire range of multifaceted relations between the two countries and exchange views on contemporary regional and global issues of mutual interest,” the ministry stated.

It will be Modi’s first visit to Russia in nearly five years. His last visit to Russia was in 2019 when he attended an economic conclave in the Far East city of Vladivostok.

The annual summit between the prime minister of India and the president of Russia is the highest institutional dialogue mechanism in the strategic partnership between the two countries.

So far, 21 annual summits have taken place alternately in India and Russia.

The last summit was held on December 6, 2021 in New Delhi. President Vladimir Putin had visited India to attend the summit.

The summit saw both sides sealing 28 MoUs and agreements besides coming out with a joint statement titled “India-Russia Partnership for Peace, Progress and Prosperity”.

Modi and Putin last held bilateral talks on the margins of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) at Samarkand in Uzbekistan on September 16, 2022.

Following his visit to Russia, the Prime Minister of India will travel to Austria during July 9-10, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Austria in 41 years.

In Vienna, Prime Minister Modi will call on Austria President Alexander Van der Belle and hold talks with the country’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer. Modi and Nehammer will also address business leaders from the two nations.

“The prime minister and Chancellor will also address business leaders from India and Austria,” it said in a statement.

PM Modi is also scheduled to interact with members of the Indian community in Moscow as well as in Vienna.

(with agency inputs)