Russian President Vladimir Putin contacted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday and “strongly condemned” the April 22 terror incident in Pahalgam, promising India his “full support” in its ongoing anti-terrorist efforts.
“He expressed his profound sympathies for the loss of innocent lives and pledged complete support to India in the fight against terrorism. “He emphasised that the perpetrators of the heinous attack and their supporters must be brought to justice,” Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said following the call.
“Both leaders reiterated their commitment to strengthening the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. PM Modi sent pleasantries to President Putin on the 80th anniversary of Victory Day and invited him to the Annual Summit in India later this year,” Jaiswal added.
The brutal assault on April 22, which killed 26 innocent tourists and critically injured several others, took place in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam when four heavily armed terrorists, two of whom were from Pakistan, emerged from the surrounding dense forests and opened indiscriminate fire on tourists. The incident has been described as one of the most heinous in the region in recent memory.
The two leaders spoke on Monday before the Russian President hosts Chinese President Xi Jinping, who will visit Russia from May 7 to 10 to participate in ceremonial festivities commemorating the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
PM Modi, who had also been invited by Putin to participate in the Victory Day celebrations, would not be flying to Russia.
The Russian President has previously expressed his condolences to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Modi on the unfortunate effects of the terrorist assault in Pahalgam.
“Please accept my heartfelt sympathies for the awful effects of the terrorist incident in Pahalgam, in which the fatalities were civilians — residents of numerous nations. This heinous crime has no justification. We anticipate that the organisers and culprits will face appropriate punishment. I’d want to underline our commitment to expanding our cooperation with Indian partners in combating terrorism in all of its forms and manifestations. Please send sincere condolences and support to the deceased’s loved ones, as well as wishes for the fast recovery of the injured,” Putin wrote on April 22.
On May 2, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar to discuss current difficulties in Russian-Indian cooperation, as well as the “aggravation of Indian-Pakistani relations” following the terrorist assault near Pahalgam.
Lavrov advocated for the resolution of problems between New Delhi and Islamabad by political and diplomatic measures on a bilateral basis, in accordance with the Simla Agreement of 1972 and the Lahore Declaration of 1999.
“We discussed the Pahalgam terrorist attack with Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov yesterday. Its perpetrators, backers, and planners must face justice. Also discussed our bilateral cooperation efforts,” Jaishankar wrote on X following the phone call.
Putin has already asked Prime Minister Modi to join the 75th anniversary celebrations for Victory in the Great Patriotic War in Moscow in May 2020.
Earlier, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov stated that the Russian President is set to visit India in early 2025, after Prime Minister Modi’s invitation.
The visit is planned as part of the two leaders’ continuous commitment to holding annual meetings.
“Our leaders have an agreement to meet once a year. This time, it is our turn,” Ushakov had said during a press briefing.
The last visit by the Russian President to India took place on December 6, 2021, during the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit in New Delhi.
Meanwhile, PM Modi held two high-profile visits to Russia last year, attending the 22nd Russia-India Summit in July and later participated in the BRICS Summit held in Kazan in October.
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