New Delhi, 08 September—Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold bilateral talks on September 11 during the 18th BRICS summit with sale of SU-57 jet fighters to India being on the top of the agenda.
While Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov informed that Russian sale of SU-57 jetfighters is going to be on the top of the agenda, diplomatic sources said whether India will agree to purchase the military aircrafts now is doubtful as it is likely to annoy Washington. Talks between two countries for purchase o SU-57 have been going on for sometime now.
President Putin is visiting India to participate in the 18th BRICS Summit scheduled to take place at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed today.
BRICS Summit is being held under India’s Presidency for the fourth time.
“We’re looking forward to the President and Prime Minister having another bilateral meeting during the visit. It is scheduled. It is scheduled for Friday, so, as always, they will first touch on the bilateral agenda,” Peskov told mediapersons during a virtual press briefing from Moscow.
Sale of advanced SU-57 fighter jets to India will be on top of the agenda, Peskov said adding that the two leaders will also hold discussions on bilateral trade and economy.
The two-day summit, hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will also witness the participation of leaders from China, Brazil, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with all the visiting leaders on the margins of the summit. The Prime Minister’s meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping is significant as it will provide the two leaders an opportunity to review bilateral ties, including progress in resolving the boundary dispute.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has also been invited as a special guest for the outreach sessions of the summit in his capacity as the current chair of the BIMSTEC grouping.
However, Bangladesh has not yet confirmed if he will participate in the summit, given the deadlock between the two countries over Dhaka’s demand for the extradition of ousted PM Sheikh Hasina.
Meanwhile, Russia has also said it will welcome any efforts by India to resolve the Ukraine conflict through peaceful means and Moscow is in sync with New Delhi on ways to end it.
“We know the position of India on Ukrainian conflict, and to a great extent, it corresponds with our own position. Because we do want the solution of the Ukrainian conflict by peaceful means,” Peskov said during the online briefing from Moscow.
On the proposed US move to levy 100 per cent tariffs on countries buying Russian crude oil, he said it is “illegal and unacceptable”.
The Russian presidential spokesperson also said that Russia is waiting for negotiations with India on setting up new nuclear plants.
Russia does not seek “de-dollarisation” and is open to every acceptable method of payment, Peskov underscored days before the BRICS leaders’ summit in New Delhi.
Some countries are using their national currency as a political tool, he added, without naming any country.
Cooperation on rare earths exploration is being discussed between New Delhi and Moscow, Peskov said.
Peskov added that 90 per cent of transactions between Russia and BRICS nations are conducted in national currencies.
The issue of Russian firms accumulating excess Indian rupees due to two-way trade with India in national currencies is being gradually resolved, he said.
BRICS includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa as well as Ethiopia, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran and the UAE
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