- विज्ञापन -
Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, condemning the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and extending Russia’s full support to India in its ongoing counter-terrorism efforts.
According to Randhir Jaiswal, MEA spokesperson, Putin offered heartfelt condolences for the loss of innocent lives and emphasized that those responsible for the attack and their supporters must be brought to justice. The leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the India-Russia Strategic Partnership.
During the call, Modi conveyed greetings to Putin on the 80th anniversary of Victory Day and invited him to participate in the upcoming annual summit in India later this year. The discussion occurred ahead of Putin’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, scheduled for May 7-10, which will coincide with the Victory Day celebrations. Although Putin extended an invitation to Modi for the event, the Indian Prime Minister will not be traveling to Russia at this time.
Earlier, Putin had expressed his condolences to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Modi regarding the attack, describing it as a brutal crime with no justification. He reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to enhancing cooperation with India to combat terrorism.
On April 22, the terrorist assault in Pahalgam resulted in 26 civilian deaths and injuries to several others. The attack, carried out by heavily armed terrorists—including two from Pakistan—targeted tourists in the Baisaran Valley, a brutal incident regarded as one of the most severe in recent memory.
Following the attack, on May 2, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, discussing bilateral cooperation and the need for India and Pakistan to resolve their issues diplomatically, in line with agreements like the Simla Agreement and Lahore Declaration. Jaishankar emphasized that the terrorists and their backers must be brought to justice.
Putin had previously invited Modi to attend the 75th Victory Day celebrations in Moscow in May 2020. Moreover, the Russian President is expected to visit India in early 2025, continuing the tradition of annual high-level meetings. The last visit by Putin to India was in December 2021 during the India-Russia Summit in New Delhi.
In recent months, Modi has participated in high-profile visits to Russia, including the 22nd Russia-India Summit in July and the BRICS Summit in Kazan in October last year.
