India, Russia against 'outside influence' in internal matters of any nation: PM Modi

India and Russia are against "outside influence" in the internal matters of any nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday after comprehensive talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin aimed at finding new horizons of bilateral cooperation in areas like trade, defence, space, oil and gas, nuclear energy and maritime connectivity.

Modi, who arrived in Russia on a two-day visit, is the first Indian prime minister to visit to the Russian Far East Region.

"We both are against outside influence in the internal matters of any nation," Modi said in a joint press meet with Putin after their delegation-level talks at the India-Russia 20th Annual Summit following a two-hour tete-a-tete on board a ship.

His remarks without naming any country came against the backdrop of tension between India and Pakistan after New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status.

India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was an internal matter and also advised Pakistan to accept the reality. Pakistan is trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue after India's decision on August 5.

Russia has backed India's move on Jammu and Kashmir, saying that the changes in the status are within the framework of the Indian Constitution.

Briefing the media later, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said Prime Minister Modi explained to President Putin the rationale behind the decision and Russia stands firmly behind India on the issue.

A joint statement issued later said the two sides "underlined the primacy of international law and emphasised their commitment to the purposes and the principles stated in the UN Charter including the inadmissibility of interference in the internal affairs of member states."
The statement said the two leaders "agreed to facilitate, in all possible ways, exploring the impressive potential of our strategic partnership to the full, demonstrating its special and privileged nature which has emerged as an anchor of stability in a complex international situation."
They shared the view that "implementation in good faith of universally recognised principles and rules of international law excludes the practice of double standards or imposition of some States of their will on other States."