Rajnath Singh Meets Vladimir Putin, Calls India-Russia Friendship “Deeper Than Deepest Ocean”

New Delhi: India-Russia friendship is “higher than the highest mountain and deeper than the deepest ocean”, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday.

Both leaders expressed that the partnership between the countries holds immense potential and combined efforts will pave the way for remarkable outcomes, an Indian readout of the meeting said.

Mr Singh called on Putin after co-chairing the 21st session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Cooperation along with Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov.

“During the meeting, Rajnath Singh said ‘friendship between our countries is higher than the highest mountain and deeper than the deepest ocean’,” the readout by the defence ministry said.

Mr Singh conveyed to Putin that India has always stood by its Russian friends and will continue to do so in future, it said.

The defence minister also conveyed warm greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to President Putin.

Glad to call on the Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, the defence minister said on ‘X’.

Mr Singh embarked on the three-day trip to Russia on Sunday.

The defence minister’s visit to Russia came five months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to Moscow and held summit talks with Putin.

During the summit, both sides had vowed to further expand India-Russia defence and military ties.

PM Modi travelled to Russia in October as well to attend the annual BRICS summit.

President Putin is set to visit India next year to hold the annual summit talks with PM Modi.

In his talks with Belousov, Singh pressed for expediting the supply of the two remaining units of S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems to India.

Singh showcased new opportunities in India for Russian defence industries in joint production of various military hardware, noting that India-Russia engagement is very strong and has lived up to the “responsibilities” of a special and privileged strategic partnership.

He voiced India’s determination to extend the capabilities of its domestic defence industry across domains and industrial collaboration, the defence ministry said.

Official sources said Singh strongly pitched for expediting the delivery of the two S-400 missile systems.

Mr Singh reiterated India’s commitment towards the special and privileged strategic partnership with Russia, the ministry said.

On Monday, Singh witnessed the commissioning of a Russian-manufactured guided missile frigate into the Indian navy at Russia’s coastal city of Kaliningrad.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)