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Russia interested in early talks on free trade with India — Lavrov

The parties also affirmed the need to sign an updated investment protection agreement before endorsing the trade-economic and investment cooperation program by 2030 and complete work on certain other documents

MOSCOW, July 9. /TASS/. Moscow is interested in getting the negotiation process underway between India and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) on the free trade zone, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference after talks with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

"We are interested in talks between India and the Eurasian Economic Commission on free trade zone establishment to start as soon as possible. An appropriate working group has been set up. We hope the date for the first meeting will be fixed soon," Lavrov said.

"Current mechanisms of the intergovernmental commission will work out further measures to stimulate trade-economic and investment cooperation" in the sphere of bilateral economic ties between Moscow and New Delhi, the Minister said. "The good sign is that the trade turnover rose by almost 12% over the first four months. This trend should be fortified in all respects," he noted.

The parties also affirmed the need to sign an updated investment protection agreement before endorsing the trade-economic and investment cooperation program by 2030 and complete work on certain other documents "capable of really bringing interaction to a new level," Lavrov said.

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Sergey Lavrov India

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