Russia, India to boost co-op in various sectors: FMs

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar discussed bilateral cooperation during their meeting here on Wednesday, reported Xinhua.

"We discussed prospects for military-technical cooperation, including the joint production of modern weapons," the Russian foreign minister said, adding that cooperation in this field "corresponds to the national interests of both countries," and will help maintain security on the Eurasian continent.

He said that Russia and India agreed to further deepen trade, economic, and investment ties, adding that relations between both countries are built on trust and mutual respect, and are not subject to any external influences.

Jaishankar in turn noted that bilateral trade between Russia and India was currently at its highest level, and is expected to surpass 50 billion U.S. dollars this year.

The Russian foreign minister said that both countries discussed energy cooperation, specifically with regard to hydrocarbon exports and peaceful use of nuclear energy.

The two officials also discussed interaction on multilateral platforms, including joint efforts within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS.

Following the organization's expansion, the total GDP of the BRICS countries will exceed that of the G7 nations, Lavrov noted, adding that the West had greatly undermined its credibility, and this further proves that it is necessary "to rely on the role of the global majority" in developing the world economy.