Elections: Putin, contesting himself, extends good wishes to PM Modi for 2024 LS polls
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is contesting the March 2024 elections to retain his office, has extended good wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Lok Sabha elections due by May 2024.
Referring to the Lok Sabha election due mid-next year, President Putin said he wished “our friends every success” and stressed that “traditional conventional friendly ties” will continue between New Delhi and Moscow “no matter what the alignment of political forces” is, according to the media reports on Thursday.
The Russian President, who made these remarks during a meeting with the visiting External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar, also extended an invitation to PM Modi to visit Russia.
He said he had spoken to the PM on the developments in Ukraine. “Many times, I advised him of how things have been going there and I know that he (PM Modi) is willing to do his utmost so that the issue is resolved by peaceful means,” he said, indicating that India and Russia will continue to discuss the issue.
The Russian President said Moscow is “gratified to note that despite all the turmoil happening worldwide, the relationship with our true friend in Asia, India, has been progressing incrementally.”
“Definitely, we will be glad to see our dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, paying a visit to Russia, we will be able to discuss all the relevant, current issues and talk to the prospects of the Russian and Indian relationship,” he said.
The Russian president asked Dr Jaishankar to convey his greetings to PM Modi. “And please, tell him that we want to see him,” he said.
President Putin, however, noted that India will have a “busy political schedule” next year. “The general elections in parliament are scheduled for next year. We wish our friends every success in that and we hope that… anyway, no matter what the alignment of political forces would be, the traditional conventional friendly ties will persist between our nations.”
