New Delhi, April 2: A parliamentary delegation from the Russian Federation, led by First Deputy Speaker Vladimir Yakushev, visited India and met with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at the Parliament House on Thursday.
During the meeting, Speaker Birla warmly welcomed the Russian delegation and congratulated Yakushev on his election as the Chairman of the Federation Council’s Parliamentary Friendship Group. He noted that this election reflects Russia’s ongoing commitment to enhancing parliamentary cooperation with India.
Birla emphasized that dialogue and collaboration will deepen the parliamentary relationship between India and Russia. He stated that the partnership is built on mutual trust and has stood the test of time. Since India’s independence, Russia has been one of its closest and most reliable partners, with friendship and cooperation between the two nations serving as a model for the world.
He highlighted the recent high-level contacts and ongoing dialogue between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, noting that these discussions have strengthened bilateral relations and opened new avenues for cooperation.
Both sides underscored the importance of collaboration on multilateral parliamentary platforms such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union, BRICS Parliamentary Forum, and G-20. The Speaker stressed the need to enhance the spirit of cooperation to collectively address global challenges. The discussions also focused on key areas of bilateral cooperation, including defense, trade, and economic collaboration. Emerging fields such as space research, artificial intelligence, and clean energy were identified as potential areas for future cooperation.
Birla also mentioned the strong cultural ties between India and Russia, highlighting the significant presence of Indian students in Russian universities and the popularity of yoga and Indian cinema in Russia, which reflect the deep cultural connection between the two nations.
He noted that the recent cultural festival “India Festival” held in Moscow saw a large turnout, indicating a growing interest in Indian culture among Russian citizens. The Speaker expressed appreciation for the affection shown by the Russian government towards the Indian community residing in Russia and thanked them for ensuring their welfare and comfort.
Mentioning that the last meeting of the commission was held in 2018, he suggested that both sides consider convening the next meeting at a mutually convenient time. He also highlighted the importance of parliamentary friendship groups in enhancing dialogue and cooperation, stating that the formation of the India-Russia Parliamentary Friendship Group in India’s Parliament would strengthen parliamentary exchanges and diplomatic dialogue.
Expressing confidence that relations between India and Russia will deepen in the future, he stated that such high-level dialogues would bolster parliamentary friendship and enhance the broader bilateral partnership.
During the occasion, Vladimir Yakushev expressed his gratitude to Om Birla for the warm welcome and for taking time from his busy schedule to meet with the Russian delegation.
Yakushev remarked that the India-Russia strategic partnership is extremely important for Russia. He highlighted the close parliamentary cooperation between the two countries on various global platforms such as BRICS and G-20, noting that India will host the BRICS Parliamentary Forum meeting this year as its chair.
He welcomed the formation of the India-Russia Parliamentary Friendship Group and mentioned that during their visit to India, the Russian delegation would hold meetings with the Communications and IT Parliamentary Committee and the India-Russia Parliamentary Friendship Group. He also extended an invitation to Birla to visit Russia and resume the Inter-Parliamentary Commission. Yakushev noted the close cultural ties between the peoples of both nations, mentioning that over 35,000 Indian students study in Russia, contributing to the deepening of relations. He expressed hope for increased cooperation in various sectors, including trade and energy.
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