PM Modi reiterates India's commitment to Russia's 'Act East Policy'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's commitment to Russia's 'Act East Policy' during the plenary session of the sixth Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) held on September 3 in Vladivostok via video conferencing.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's commitment to Russia's 'Act East Policy' during the plenary session of the sixth Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), 2021, held on September 3 in Vladivostok via video conferencing. Modi also lauded Russian President Vladimir Putin's vision for the development of the Russian Far East, as per a press release.

The session witnessed PM Modi's reference to ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership’, stressing the pertinence of greater economic and commercial engagement. Various sectors including health and pharma, diamond, cooking coal, steel, timber were enlisted as crucial areas of cooperation in the economic front.

Further, PM Modi invited Governors of 11 regions of the Russian Far East to pay a visit to India. It should be noted that the India-Russia Business dialogue in the wake of EEF is underway. An Indian delegation led by Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri is participating in the dialogue along with Indian oil and gas companies.

Vijay Rupani, Chief Minister of Gujarat and Governor of Sakha-Yakutia, province of Russia held a meeting via video-conferencing on September 2. Over 50 representatives of reputed Indian companies from various sectors participated in the session. PM Modi was the chief guest of the 5th EEF in 2019, the first by an Indian Prime Minister.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla held a meeting with Sergei Lavrov, Russia's Foreign Minister and senior officials in Moscow, earlier this year. The aim of the visit was to discuss bolstering economic cooperation in Russian Far East, he had said, as per reports.