Moscow has expressed its willingness to assist in fostering better relations between India and China amid ongoing regional tensions. Dmitry Peskov, Press Secretary to Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasized the importance of diplomatic normalisation between the two Asian powers, reiterating Moscow’s readiness to play a supportive role.
“We are ready to contribute in every possible way to normalising relations between both nations,” Peskov said during a press briefing on Tuesday. Peskov referred to the recent meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, held on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, as a positive step. He stressed that Russia acted only as the host, facilitating the dialogue but refraining from influencing the discussions.
#WATCH | Delhi: When asked if Russia is playing any role in improving relations between India and China, Press secretary for Russian President, Dmitry Peskov says, “We are glad that the two leaders, the leader of India and the leader of China, had the opportunity to hold their… pic.twitter.com/rseuROkFup
— ANI (@ANI) November 19, 2024
“We are glad that the two leaders had the opportunity to hold their bilateral meeting in Kazan. This was really good news for everybody in the world. But again, this was a bilateral initiative of India and China, with no interference from abroad, from us. So we were only the organisers of that summit,” Peskov clarified.
Peskov also announced that preparations are underway for President Putin’s official visit to India, which will mark his first trip to the country since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022. During their last meeting in October, Modi extended an invitation to Putin for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, scheduled for next year. The upcoming visit is expected to deepen the long-standing bilateral ties between the two nations.
