Besides exploring the possibility of holding their maiden 2 + 2 ministerial meet (foreign and defence ministers) this month, two joint commission meets are being planned, according to people aware of the matter.
The Joint Military Commission and Joint Economic-Technical Cooperation Commission are led by the two defence ministers and Russian deputy PM and Indian foreign minister respectively. Russian Deputy PM Yury Borisov is expected to travel to India for the Joint Economic Commission meeting.
While the two sides concluded a long-term pact on coking coal and India received the first direct LNG supply from Russian assets under the pact, the two sides are considering major projects in the energy sector and with respect to the supply of fertilisers. Besides connectivity projects via Iran and Vladivostok-Chennai shipping link, the Northern Sea route is being explored by India. Far East Russia is a key focus for India.
The 2 + 2 meet could be held mid-November and see foreign minister S Jaishankar and defence minister Rajnath Singh travelling to Moscow. The decision to set up a 2 + 2 ministerial dialogue mechanism was taken during the April phone call between PM Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin. The Afghan situation is expected to figure high during the 2 + 2 meet, said persons familiar with the issue.
A document on the next ten years of military cooperation and mutual logistics pact for the two militaries could be inked at the annual summit besides new pacts in the energy sectors – hydrocarbon and civil nuclear energy. The summit could also focus on India-Russia cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region and Central Asia.
Ahead of the 2 + 2 meet, India will host a key meet of national security advisers (NSAs) from Russia, China, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Iran. While Pakistan has ruled out its NSA’s participation in the meet, being held in Delhi on November 10-11, Russian NSA Gen Nikolay Patrushev may attend the meeting.
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