As Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed to Russia for his first bilateral meeting with President Vladimir Putin after assuming office for the third term, the Congress on Friday came up with a series of questions for PM Modi, including whether relations between the two countries cooled off somewhat under his watch.
In a long post on X, Congress general secretary, in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, said, “India inherited a rich relationship with first the USSR and later Russia due to the astute diplomacy and strategic initiatives of various Congress Governments through the decades. More recently, in his ten years as Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh met Vladmir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev (the two Presidents of Russia who served during his tenure) 16 times in India or Russia. By comparison, this is only Mr. Modi’s 11th meeting with President Putin after 10 years in office.”
“While his propagandists make grand claims of having stopped the war between Russia and Ukraine, have relations between the two countries taken cooled off somewhat under Mr. Modi’s watch?” the senior Congress leader asked.
Comparing exports and imports bills between FY14 and FY23, Jairam said India’s exports to Russia stagnated, falling from $3.17 billion to $3.14 billion while the imports surged exponentially, rising from $6.34 billion to $46.21 billion.
He said such a lopsided trade relationship is unsustainable in the long-term, and has deleterious consequences for our domestic industry.
“Is a rectification of this trade imbalance on the agenda for the non-biological Prime Minister’s talks with President Putin? What is his vision to improve the trade balance between the two countries?
Talking about the Indians stranded in the Russia-Ukraine conflict zone, he said at least 50 Indian nationals have joined the Russian Army and two individuals have already been confirmed as fatalities of the war.
“…Many others have been ‘duped’ into fighting a war where they have no stake, aside from a chance to escape the poverty and unemployment crisis that the non-biological Prime Minister has perpetuated domestically,” Jairam said.
“Will the non-biological Prime Minister take up the cause of these youth? Will he ensure their safe return to India as soon as possible?,” he further asked.
The Prime Minister will hold summit talks with President Putin amid the conflict in Ukraine during his visit. This is his first trip to Russia since 2019 and the first since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
PM Modi and Putin are set explore ways to further expand bilateral relations in diverse areas, including trade, energy and defence, at the 22nd India-Russia annual summit on Tuesday.
With inputs from agencies
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