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Indian finance minister says partnership with Russia remains ‘resilient and steadfast’

Nirmala Sitharaman also congratulated Russia for its successful chairship of the BRICS in 2024

NEW DELHI, July 6. /TASS/. Strategic partnership between Russia and India remains resilient and steadfast, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said following a meeting with her Russian counterpart, Anton Siluanov, ahead of a BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro.

The minister "observed that India and Russia enjoy exemplary levels of mutual trust and understanding and our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership remains resilient and steadfast," the ministry said on X.

Sitharaman also "congratulated Russia for its successful chairship of the BRICS in 2024 and said that India will continue to leverage the BRICS platform to build South-South cooperation in areas of common interest. They also discussed modalities of various initiatives recently taken up in BRICS," according to the post.

"The two leaders discussed India-Russia long standing partnership. Sitharaman also expressed gratitude for the support extended by President Vladimir Putin after the Pahalgam terror attack," the ministry went on to say. "The two sides also discussed issues of bilateral cooperation, including cooperation in the financial sector, along with matters related to New Development Bank."

BRICS plans to hold a summit from July 6-7 in Rio de Janeiro. The main topics of discussion will include health care, trade, investment, finance, climate change, artificial intelligence management, peace and security.

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