NEW DELHI, Sept 13 (Reuters) - India and Russia will explore the possibility of using new transport corridors such as the Northern Sea Route and Eastern Maritime Corridor between Vladivostok and Chennai to widen maritime cooperation, the Indian government said on Wednesday.
A decision to work towards this was made during a meeting between India's Ports, Shipping and Waterways minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, and Russia's Development of the Far East and Arctic minister, A.O. Chekunkov, in Russia's Vladivostok.
New Delhi and Moscow have enjoyed a close relationship for decades and India has refused to condemn Russia for the war it has waged on Ukraine since last year.
Russian-Indian trade has instead risen to a record high, driven largely by a ramping-up of Indian imports of Russian oil.
The two countries, at the same meeting on Wednesday, also agreed to train Indian seafarers in polar and arctic waters at the Russian Maritime Training Institute, which is equipped with simulator facilities.
"We remain committed to maintaining strong ties (with Russia) and fostering strategic cooperation across various sectors," Sonowal said in a statement.
Chekunkov said Russia aims to "develop relations with Indian partners in the Far East in all areas of mutual interest".
Reporting by Sakshi Dayal; editing by Mark Heinrich
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cyanoa on September 18th, 2023 at 17:16 UTC »
Russia and India have a long history of partnering under the auspices of the enemy of my enemy is my friend...
Nomad1900 on September 18th, 2023 at 10:53 UTC »
hopefully, India-Russia trade will grow exponentially. And India can import Oil, Gas, Iron Ore, Coal etc from Russia and trade can go up to $200 billion trade.
donutloop on September 18th, 2023 at 05:36 UTC »
Submission Statement:
India and Russia have agreed to expand their maritime cooperation by exploring the possibility of new transport corridors, such as the Northern Sea Route and Eastern Maritime Corridor between Vladivostok and Chennai. The agreement comes amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions where India has refrained from condemning Russia's actions in Ukraine. The deal signifies not only a deepening of maritime ties but also underlines the larger strategic and economic relationship between the two nations. Moreover, the agreement includes provisions for the training of Indian seafarers in polar and arctic waters at a Russian institute. As both countries continue to break trade records, mainly due to Indian imports of Russian oil, this latest development indicates that the nations are seeking a multifaceted partnership that goes beyond energy and defense.