Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju held significant diplomatic talks with Batu Khasikov, the Head of the Republic of Kalmykia, a federal subject of the Russian Federation, along with his delegation in New Delhi.

The meeting centered around strengthening the long-standing India-Russia relationship, with an emphasis on fostering deeper cultural, developmental, and parliamentary exchanges.

Rijiju described the interaction as enriching, underlining the enduring strategic bond between India and Russia.

The discussions highlighted India’s commitment to not only sustaining traditional partnerships with Moscow at the federal level but also to expanding direct engagements with regional Russian entities like Kalmykia, thereby diversifying avenues of cooperation in areas such as education, culture, business exchanges, and people-to-people ties.

The backdrop of this dialogue was shaped by a recent diplomatic development at the highest level. Russian President Vladimir Putin had reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi via telephone to brief him on his Alaska meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, where the two leaders deliberated on the Ukraine conflict.

This dialogue came at a pivotal moment as the international community continues to press for diplomatic resolutions to the protracted crisis. During the conversation, PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent and principled stance of promoting a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, emphasising that India supports all genuine efforts toward de-escalation.

Modi expressed gratitude to President Putin for sharing his insights from the Alaska summit and noted the importance of ongoing India-Russia strategic communication at multiple levels.

Following this, Prime Minister Modi took to the social media platform X to reaffirm India’s position, publicly thanking President Putin for his call.

He stressed that India continues to value its deep-rooted friendship with Russia and looks forward to future exchanges that reinforce bilateral trust. India had also formally welcomed the U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska, stating that the constructive atmosphere of the talks and the progress achieved were encouraging signs.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had earlier released a statement commending both leaders—President Putin and former U.S. President Trump—for their efforts toward peace and reiterating that the global community expects a swift and peaceful end to the Ukraine crisis.

The high-profile Alaska summit, though anticipated to last nearly seven hours, concluded in less than three, with both leaders issuing short pre-prepared statements without taking questions from the press.

Though limited in duration, the meeting was perceived as a cautiously positive step in keeping dialogue alive between Moscow and Washington. For India, the convergence of these events—Rijiju’s meeting with Batu Khasikov, President Putin’s briefing to PM Modi, and the Alaska Summit—reinforces New Delhi’s unique diplomatic positioning.

India continues to maintain strategic autonomy, balancing its engagement with major global powers while advocating for peace, dialogue, and multipolar cooperation.

The interactions underscore India’s intent to deepen traditional partnerships with Russia not only at the federal level but also across regional and cultural dimensions, while simultaneously supporting multilateral efforts to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Based On ANI Report