This is S Jaishankar's first visit to Moscow since assuming office in May. (File photo)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Moscow on Tuesday on a two-day visit to Russia during which he will hold talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and finalise the preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's forthcoming visit to the country.
This is Mr Jaishankar's first visit to Moscow since assuming office in May. His visit comes days ahead of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok from September 4 to 6 where Prime Minister Modi will be the chief guest.
Mr Jaishankar and Mr Lavrov will take stock of preparations for Prime Minister Modi's visit and the 20th Annual Bilateral Summit between the two countries. They will also discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest.
He will also meet Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov and participate in Valdai Discussion Club interaction on the theme of India's perspective of the Indo-Pacific.
"The (two) sides will pay the highest attention to the preparations for the participation of the official Indian delegation in the fifth Eastern Economic Forum that will be held on September 4-6 in Vladivostok and the organisation of the annual summit," the Russian Foreign Ministry's Information and Press Department said in a statement on Tuesday.
It said the ministers will share their positions on thorny international issues with focus on cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and within the UN, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the RIC (Russia-India-China).
"They will discuss the preparations for Russia''s chairmanship in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), as well as a number of regional scenarios, including the problems of preserving the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) on the Iran nuclear program, the situation in the Persian Gulf area and in Afghanistan," it added.
Mr Jaishankar will also deliver a speech at the discussion platform of the Valdai Discussion Club on the issue 'The prospects of India's policy in the Indo-Pacific region'.
The minister arrived in Moscow from Budapest where he held a "very positive and productive" meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto and both sides vowed to work closely to enhance bilateral cooperation.
Days ahead of Mr Jaishankar's visit, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval travelled to Moscow and held talks with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev during which both sides underlined support for principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference of third parties.