Ahead of two scheduled meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the next three weeks, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on the latter in Moscow on Monday. Putin told Jaishankar that among the areas of bilateral cooperation with India, Russia is giving priority to energy, fertilisers, nuclear energy and high technology sectors.

Modi and Putin are expected to meet at the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) summit in Kyrgyzstan on August 31-September 1, and again at the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12-13.

Underlining the increase in bilateral trade between the two sides, Putin credited Modi for giving “personal attention” to the relationship. “Your visit today underscores the level of relations that has long been established between Russia and India, over decades. We continue to work together in virtually all areas. This includes governmental ties, inter-parliamentary ties, and economic cooperation,” Putin told Jaishankar.

“I am pleased to note that our trade turnover has increased this year. While it declined slightly last year, it’s growing this year, and this is partly, and perhaps primarily, thanks to Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), who is devoting his personal attention to developing Russian-Indian relations,” he said.