Moscow [Russia], March 8 (ANI): Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Moscow to hold bilateral Foreign Office Consultations with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in an official statement.

During the consultations, the two sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties and also shared perspectives on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

As per the MEA, India and Russia took stock of progress on implementation of decisions taken at the 22nd Annual Summit held in Moscow in July 2024, the meeting in Kazan on the side-lines of the 16th BRICS Summit between PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the 25th session of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation held in New Delhi in November 2024, and other high level engagements.

Notably, during the visit, Foreign Secretary also held meetings with Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Russian Presidential Executive Office; Yury Ushakov, Aide to the Russian President; and Alexey Gruzdev, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade.

As per the MEA, the last round of Foreign Office Consultations was held in New Delhi in November 2023.

Russia has been a longstanding and time-tested partner for India. The development of India- Russia relations has been a key pillar of India's foreign policy.

As per the MEA, since the signing of the 'Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership' in October 2000 (during the visit of President Putin), India-Russia ties have acquired a qualitatively new character with enhanced levels of cooperation in almost all areas, including political, security, defence, trade and economy, science & technology, culture, and people-to-people ties.

The bilateral relationship has remained strong and stable over 75 years.

The India-Russia partnership has been among the steadiest in the contemporary era with a shared commitment to a multipolar world as well to expand the engagement beyond the traditional military, nuclear and space cooperation.

According to the MEA, in the past two years, the bilateral trade has expanded significantly, doubling the target of USD 30 billion set earlier for 2025. There are discussions on ways to increase exports from India as well as on developing new models of cooperation.

Both countries also look to strengthen inter-regional cooperation, especially with the Russian Far East and connectivity initiatives like the International North-South Transport Corridor, the Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor and the Northern Sea Route. There is a synergy between Russia's pivot to the East, its resource and technology and India's own flagship initiatives such as Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India, the MEA said. (ANI)