New Delhi: ​External Affair Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar will embark for Russia on December 25.

EAM Jaishankar's visit will be a part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two sides.

​During his five day visit (December 25 to 29), EAM Jaishankar will meet Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Denis Manturov to discuss matters related to economic engagement.

EAM will meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. They will discussed bilateral, multilateral and international issues.

​"External Affair Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will visit Russia on 25-29 December 2023 as a part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two sides", the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India said in its statement on December 24.

"During this visit, EAM will meet Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia H.E. Denis Manturov to discuss matters related to economic

engagement. The EAM will meet his counterpart, the Foreign Minister of Russia H.E. Sergey Lavrov for discussion on bilateral, multilateral and international issues", the MEA also said.

​Focusing on the strong people to people and cultural ties between two countries, EAM's programme will include engagements in Moscow and in St. Petersburg, the MEA further said.

MEA also said that the time tested India-Russia partnership has remained stable and resilient and continues to be characterized by the spirit of the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.

Russia has been a longstanding and time-tested partner for India. Development of India-Russia relations has been a key pillar of India's foreign policy.

Ministerial engagements between India and Russia:

India and Russia remain in touch at ministerial level as well. The Foreign Ministers of both countries EAM Jaishankar and Foreign Minister Lavrov meet regularly bilaterally as well as on the sidelines of major events. In 2023, they met on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Jakarta (September 6 and July 13), BRICS (an intergovernmental organization comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) in South Africa (August 23 and June 1), SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization, is an intergovernmental organization founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2001) (May 4 in Goa) & G20 (The Group of Twenty) (March 1 in New Delhi) meetings.

EAM last visited Moscow in November 2022 for meetings with FM Lavrov and Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, his co-Chair of IRIGC-TEC (India Russia Intergovernmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific & Cultural Cooperation).

The bilateral relationship has remained strong and stable over 75 years.

External Affair Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar's visit to Russia will improve relations between two countries.