India, Russia discuss UNSC cooperation

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 2

Senior diplomats from India and Russia held in-person consultations on UN Security Council related issues in Moscow on Wednesday.

The talks with Russia, a permanent member of the UNSC, come less than a month before India takes up a non-permanent seat at the UNSC for 2021-22.

Both sides held wide ranging discussions on issues on the UN Security Council agenda and recent developments and agreed to deepen cooperation on counter terrorism at multilateral platforms.

The Indian delegation briefed Russia on its priorities during its upcoming UNSC tenure and they decided to work closely together, given the common challenges faced and in keeping with their long standing Special and Strategic Privileged Partnership, said a MEA news release.

The move to signal close consultations with Moscow comes at a time when Russia has been demonstrating proximity with Pakistan. Moscow and Islamabad recently held joint military exercises and Russia has taken up a major stake in a cross-country gas pipeline in Pakistan.

Vikas Swarup, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, led the Indian delegation for consultations which also included other MEA officials as well as Indian Embassy diplomats. The Russian side was led by Sergey Vasilyevich Vershinin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, and included other Russian Foreign Ministry officials.