New Delhi/June,23: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reached Moscow on Monday night on a three day visit to Russia to review supplies of defence equipment in the coming months.
Reports said Rajnath Singh is likely to hold discussions with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu over the the issue of the delivery of the S-400 missile defence systems . Before leaving for Mosow Rajnath Singh in a tweet said “Leaving for Moscow on a three-day visit. The visit to Russia will give me an opportunity to hold talks on ways to further deepen the India-Russia defence and strategic partnership. I shall also be attending the 75th Victory Day Parade in Moscow.”Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe is also likely to be present at the Moscow military parade on June 24 to mark the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War. Indian and Chinese troops are participating in the parade, along with contingents from other countries.
Meanwhile External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, is scheduled to participate in a virtual meeting of the foreign ministers of Russia, India and China (RIC) Tuesday.This will be Jaishankar’s first face-to-face meeting with Chinese counterpart Wangi Yi after the Galwan Valley incident in which 20 Indian Army personnel, including the Commanding Officer of 16 Bihar, were killed in violent clashes with Chinese troops on the night of June 15. Incidentally, the RIC, which will bring Jaishankar and Wang Yi face-to-face, has become a platform for strategic communication during crises.Tuesday’s RIC meeting, being chaired by Russia, is a special session to mark the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany. Three ministers, the Ministry of External Affairs said, are “expected to discuss the current situation of the global pandemic and the challenges of global security, financial stability and RIC cooperation in that context”.
