Russia's Foreign Minister To Visit India

Igor Ivanov, Russia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, will pay an official visit to the Indian capital, May 3-5, on an invitation by Jaswant Singh, the host country's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence. It will be a Russian Foreign Minister's first visit to India over the last five years. The visit implements a bilateral understanding on regular foreign-ministerial contacts, which was made as President Vladimir Putin was paying a state visit to India, October last. Igor Ivanov and Jaswant Singh will have detailed discussions of bilateral relations, and regional and global issues of shared interest. The visitor is also expected to meet with President Kocheril Raman Narayan, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Brajesh Mishra, National Security Council Secretary, to discuss the ways to strengthen bilateral partnership in many fields. India is regarding Mr. Ivanov's visit in the context of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's upcoming visit to Russia. Though the Parties have not yet come to a final agreement on the date, the visit is expected in October in conformity with an understanding for annual bilateral summits.