Russian President Vladimir Putin wishes PM Narendra Modi success for polls

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday wished Prime Minister Narendra Modi success in the upcoming parliamentary elections and also invited him for the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok in September 2019 as the main guest speaker.

Vladivostok is a major Pacific port city in Russia overlooking the Golden Horn Bay, near the borders of China and North Korea. Both leaders during a telephonic talk, focused on key bilateral and international issues, diplomatic sources said.

"The leaders confirmed their mutual willingness to increase cooperation in fighting international terrorism and solving other pressing world issues," sources said.

Both leaders exchanged New Year's greetings and discussed bilateral cooperation in key areas including defence and counter-terrorism. The two leaders also agreed that India-Russia cooperation plays an important role in the global multilateral order. "Both countries, therefore, will continue their close consultations in the United Nations, the BRICS, the SCO and other multilateral organisations," a statement from the prime minister's office said.

The prime minister also wished the president and Russian citizens on the occasion of Christmas, which was celebrated in Russia on Monday. The two leaders appreciated the major milestones achieved in the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two countries in the past year.

Recalling successful wide-ranging discussions in Sochi in May and during President Putin's visit to New Delhi in October for the annual summit, the leaders agreed to maintain the momentum in the bilateral relations.