Modi to hold informal summit with Putin in Sochi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold an informal summit with Russsian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on May 21, the Ministry of External Affairs has announced. The interaction will be part of the regular consultation between the leadership of two countries. “This will be an important occasion for the two leaders to exchange views on international matters in a broad and long-term perspective with the objective of further strengthening our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. Both leaders will also discuss their respective national developmental priorities and bilateral matters,” the announcement from the Ministry of External Affairs stated. The declaration of the informal summit follows days after Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held bilateral talks with Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov in Moscow. This will be the first meeting between the two leaders since Mr. Putin won the presidential election of Russia in March. “The informal summit in Sochi between Prime Minister Modi and President Putin is in keeping with the tradition of regular consultations between India and Russia at the highest levels,” the press release stated. The informal summit in Sochi with the Russian leader comes less than a month after a similar informal interaction was held between Mr. Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan in the last week of April. Source: The Hindu