Navigating Tensions: India and Russia Discuss Gulf Region Challenges
Key Conference on Bilateral Relations
Moscow: On Monday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will join Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for a virtual conference aimed at addressing the complexities arising from tensions in the Gulf region.
This one-day event, organized by the Indian Embassy in Moscow in collaboration with the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), holds particular importance due to the ongoing conflict in the Gulf and its implications for the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
The corridor, which serves as a vital trade route linking Mumbai to St. Petersburg while circumventing the Suez Canal, has been affected by recent missile strikes on Iran's Bandar Anzali, a key port.
Both nations are optimistic about leveraging this corridor to elevate bilateral trade to USD 100 billion by 2030, a target set during the December summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi.
Titled 'Russia and India Towards a New Agenda for Bilateral Relations,' this conference represents a renewed effort to strengthen political, economic, and cultural ties between these two strategic allies.
As per the agenda released by RIAC, the conference will feature three main themes: political, economic, and cultural-humanitarian, with participation from government officials, business leaders, and academics.
Jaishankar and Lavrov will address the conference, where two former Indian ambassadors to Russia will provide insights on India's perspective regarding the rapidly evolving global landscape, according to RIAC.
In addition to exploring the roles of India and Russia in the shifting global order, discussions will likely include the influence of their allies, such as Iran, Israel, the US, and other Gulf nations, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Connectivity issues have persisted since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the INSTC is anticipated to alleviate these challenges, which directly affect migration and mobility between India and Russia, as noted by the Indian Business Association in Moscow.