NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th July, 2021) Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is scheduled to stay in Russia on a three-day working visit from July 7-9, during which he will meet with top Russian diplomat, Sergey Lavrov, to discuss pressing global and regional issues, including the pandemic and Afghanistan.
"During the visit, External Affairs Minister will meet his counterpart, H.E. Mr. Sergey Lavrov, the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation. Discussions are expected to cover the entire range of bilateral issues, including cooperation in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic as well as exchange of views on various regional and international issues," the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement.
It is expected that the two ministers will specifically focus on the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country.
Another item on the agenda of Jaishankar's visit to Moscow is a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov concerning the work of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation.
Additionally, the Indian foreign minister will meet with Leonid Slutsky, the head of the Russian lower chamber's international affairs committee, and deliver a speech on India-Russia ties at the Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations.
According to the Indian foreign ministry, the visit will serve to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries.
