Russian delegation meets PM Modi over monitoring of 2019 parliamentary elections

A Russian delegation led by the Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday to discuss monitoring of the 2019 general elections.

Earlier in the day, Volodin also met with Vice President Venkaiah Naidu who welcomed the Russian observation mission to monitor India's Lok Sabha elections.

"In 2019, the parliamentary elections will be held [in India], and we will be glad to welcome observers from Russia," he said.

Naidu also stressed that the Indian leadership was paying significant attention to the development of the Indian-Russian relationship.

The Russian parliamentary delegation is also expected to meet the speaker of the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force said that the Indian and Russian military aircraft is also expected to start the second edition of the joint Aviaindra 2018 exercise in Rajasthan on Monday.

The first phase of the drills was held in the Russian city of Lipetsk on September 17 to 28.

"A variety of missions would be flown in a counter-terrorism scenario during Aviaindra-18. Aim of ex is dual fold: To enhance mutual cooperation and understanding between IAF and RFASF while flying missions in fighter, transport & helicopters of Russian origin," the Indian Air Force said on Twitter.

The first joint Indian-Russian exercises of this type took place in 2014.

The two countries also participated in Indra 2018 drills in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state, involving around 500 Indian and Russian troops from November 18 to 28.