Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a two-day visit to Russia on Monday. He will be in Moscow from July 8 to 9 for the 22nd India-Russia annual summit that will review the entire range of multifaceted ties between the two countries.
After Russia, Modi will embark on a historic trip to Austria as it will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to that country in 41 years, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
PM Modi’s Visit To Russia
The Indian Prime Minister is scheduled to reach Moscow late afternoon on July 8. During his visit, Modi will attend a dinner with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the annual India-Russia Summit.
This will be Modi’s first visit to Russia after the Kremlin began its “military operation” in Ukraine.
The announcement of the visit was made last month by Russian officials, but the specific dates were only recently disclosed.
PM Modi’s Visit to Russia: Schedule
- PM Modi will reach Russia’s capital Moscow late afternoon on July 8.
- He will then attend a private dinner hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- On Tuesday, PM Modi will meet the Indian community in Russia.
- After a detailed interaction with the Indian diaspora, the Prime Minister will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Kremlin.
- PM Modi will later visit an exhibition venue in Moscow.
- Modi is also expected to hold a one-on-one talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
What’s On The Agenda
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia for an upcoming summit, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Friday said issues of regional and global interest will be on the agenda of the talks between PM Modi and President Vladimir Putin.
According to the officials, PM Modi and Putin will discuss regional and global security, trade and all other topics on the agenda during their meeting.
Issues of regional and global interest will be part of the agenda in the talks between the two leaders, Kwatra said.
The India-Russia summit will provide opportunities to discuss a whole range of bilateral ties, including defence, investment, education and culture, and people-to-people ties, he added.
On the question of if Russia, the Ukraine war will be discussed Foreign Secretary Kwatra said, “In all the past summits, even on the sideline meeting like meet in Samarkand in 2022 the issues of regional and global importance of both countries are always taken up by two leaders you are very well aware of what PM spoke when he referred to the ongoing conflict between Russia, Ukraine in Samarkand.”
International North-South Transport Corridor
On the question of the International North-South Transport corridor being taken up given the recent development on Chabahar Port being signed by India, and Iran, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said that significant outcomes are expected to come out of the visit.
“The larger substantive area of cooperation which relates to connectivity has always been one of the important areas of cooperation. We do expect connectivity important domain of partnership between India and Russia to come out of this visit as an important outcome. There is also an eastern corridor which is being talked about between Chennai and Vladivostok but overall Connectivity domain will be an important area of partnership,” Kwatra said.
PM Modi’s Previous Trips To Russia
PM Narendra Modi & President Putin last met in September 2022 at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Uzbekistan. In 2021 Putin travelled to New Delhi to hold talks with PM Modi.
The defence cooperation between the two countries is guided by the IRIGC- M&MTC mechanism headed by the Defence Ministers of both countries. India and Russia participate in bilateral and multilateral military exercises.
PM Modi’s Visit to Austria
After concluding his trip to Russia, Modi will travel to Austria, which will be the first visit by an Indian prime minister to that country in 41 years, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday. Prime Minister will be in Austria from July 9 to 10.
About the PM’s Austria trip, Pawan Kapoor Secretary of West MEA said “We have been having quite a bit of engagement for the last few years. The foreign minister has been meeting regularly. We have a launch of Startup Bridge this year. Last month 20 Indian startups visited Vienna.”
PM Modi’s Visit to Austria: Schedule
- Shortly after his arrival, PM Modi will call on Austria’s President – Alexander Van der Bellen.
- The Indian Prime Minister will then hold talks with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer.
- PM and Karl Nehammer will also address business leaders from India and Austria.
- PM Modi will then interact with the Indian diaspora in Vienna.
PM Modi’s Previous Interactions With Austrian Leaders
PM Modi had a telephone conversation with President Alexander Van Der Belle on May 26 2020. Austrian PM met PM Modi in St Petersberg in 2017 on the sidelines of St Petersburg Economic Forum.
There have been multiple ministerial-level engagements between the two countries. To foster innovation and entrepreneurship between the two countries India Austria Startup Bridge was launched in Feb 2024.
India-Austria Relations
India-Austria’s cultural relations have a long tradition dating back to the 16th Century. The teaching of Sanskrit at Vienna University started in 1845. The visit of Rabindra Nath Tagore twice to Vienna in 1922 and 1926 was one of the crucial bridges of cultural and intellectual exchanges.
India-Austria bilateral trade was 2.93 USD Billion in 2023. India’s key exports to Austria are electronic Goods, Apparel, Textiles, footwear, Rubber articles, Vehicles & Railway Parts. India imports Machinery, Mechanical Appliances, Railway Parts, Iron and steel
Austria is one of the few members of the EU which is not a part of NATO. Neutrality is the centre of Austria’s foreign policy.
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