New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in a telephone discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. During the call, they assessed the advancements in bilateral cooperation and shared perspectives on mutual global and regional concerns.
President Putin also conveyed his inability to participate in the G20 Summit in New Delhi scheduled for September 9 and 10.
The Russian President also informed that Russia will be represented by the country’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Lavrov had also represented his country at the recent BRICS Summit in Johannesburg.
Expressing an understanding for Russia’s decision, PM Modi thanked President Putin for Russia’s consistent support to all initiatives under India’s G20 Presidency, a PMO release said.
“The two leaders reviewed progress on a number of issues of bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual concern, including the recently concluded BRICS Summit in Johannesburg,” the release said.
The two leaders agreed to remain in touch.
India holds the G20 Presidency, and the G20 Summit will be held in Delhi on September 9 and 10. The G20 members represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.
G20 was founded in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis as a forum for the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss global economic and financial issues. It was upgraded to the level of Heads of State or Government in the wake of the global economic and financial crisis of 2007 and, in 2009, was designated the “premier forum for international economic cooperation”.
(With ANI Inputs)