India, Rus to have '2+2' ministerial channel for foreign, defence ministers

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday thanked President Vladimir Putin for Russia's help and support in India's fight against COVID-19 as the two leaders agreed to establish a "2+2 ministerial dialogue" between foreign and defence ministers to add further momentum to the bilateral strategic partnership.

In a series of tweets after a telephonic conversation with Putin, Modi said they reviewed diverse bilateral cooperation, especially in the area of space exploration and renewable energy sector, including in hydrogen economy.

Our cooperation on the Sputnik-V vaccine will assist humanity in battling the pandemic, he said.

"Had an excellent conversation with my friend President Putin today. We discussed the evolving COVID-19 situation, and I thanked President Putin for Russia's help and support in India's fight against the pandemic," Modi tweeted.

Sputnik-V, a coronavirus vaccine, has been approved by the government for use in India.