Working on 'common approaches' with India in Pacific, Indian Ocean: Russian Envoy

Russia said on Saturday that it is working with India for "common approaches" for development in the Pacific and Indian ocean, even as both celebrate 20 years of establishment of "strategic partnership". Both sides signed the “Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership” in October 2000 during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit that year.

Russian envoy to India Nikolay Kudashev speaking on the occasion said, "strategic partners means to proceed from the unity of destinies and to form common approaches and views on common on issues directly connected to the existence of our countries and peoples".

"These include jointly finding solutions to the problem....working out common approaches to the vision of regional development: in Pacific and Indian Oceans, or in the Persian Gulf," he added.

The comments assume significance even as India and the United States are working on the Indo-Pacific concept, which New Delhi has also raised with Moscow. 

The Russian envoy mentioned how both countries are jointly dealing with the "COVID-19 pandemic, countering new challenges and threats-- terrorism, drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, attempts to rewrite the history of the great victory".

Amid the COVID crisis, India had sent hydroxychloroquine used in the treatment of the disease to Russia. Russia is sending its COVID vaccine Sputnik V to India which is subject to regulatory approval in the country.

This year also marks 10 years since India and Russia elevated their relationship to the level of “Special and Privileged" Strategic Partnership. 

The envoy said, "Special and privileged partnership" can be described by "unprecedented, unparalleled level of confidence" and "it means a situation when partner’s views, opinions, positions are by default embedded in Moscow’s or New Delhi’s approaches to key problems of the day or to key problems of developing our bilateral relations."

"Future of Eurasia and other regions of the world belongs to this partnership," he added.

Last month saw both Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar visited Moscow for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meets. In November, Russia as the host is expected to host a virtual meeting of SCO and BRICS head of state.