MoS Defence Seth holds bilateral meet with Russian counterpart, agrees to deepen military ties

Seth also interacted with some of the prominent diaspora members at the Indian Embassy in Moscow.

Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth held a bilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart, Colonel General Alexander Fomin, and thanked the government and people of Russia for their support in India’s fight against “state-sponsored cross-border terrorism,” officials said on Saturday.

Seth participated in Victory Day celebrations during his visit to Russia from May 8–9. He also called on Russian President Vladimir Putin and congratulated him on the 80th anniversary of the landmark day.

Russia marked the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II with a massive military parade in Moscow’s Red Square on Friday, which was attended by President Putin and leaders of various countries.

Seth laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and witnessed the parade along with delegates from other countries. His participation in the parade is seen as a symbol of the long-standing special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia, the defence ministry said in a statement.

During the visit, Seth also “held a bilateral meeting with the Russian Deputy Defence Minister Colonel General Alexander Fomin and thanked the government and the people of Russia for their support in India’s fight against the menace of state-sponsored cross-border terrorism,” it added.

The two ministers discussed multi-faceted military and military-technical cooperation and agreed to further deepen ties within the framework of existing institutional mechanisms.

The two sides will continue to hold regular consultations and enhance cooperation in the “evolving situation,” the ministry said.

Seth also interacted with some of the prominent diaspora members at the Indian Embassy in Moscow.