Russia developing 'privileged strategic partnership' with India: Lavrov

Russia is developing "privileged strategic partnership" with India, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday.

Lavrov said at an event that Russia is actively expanding ties with countries like China, India, Iran, North Korea and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, the state-run TASS news agency reported on Monday.

"We prioritize boosting ties with the majority of global states," he said at a meeting of the board of trustees of the Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund.

"The relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation with the People's Republic of China boast an unprecedented level of mutual trust. Particularly privileged strategic partnership is developing with India," the top Russian diplomat said.

Lavrov added that serious progress has been reached in expanding and deepening of friendly ties with such states as Iran and North Korea.

Moscow puts special emphasis on strengthening of all areas of cooperation with allies and partners among CIS member states, including within the framework of the Commonwealth, as well as the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Eurasian Economic Union, Lavrov said.

In his congratulatory message to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of India's 76th Republic Day in January, Putin said that Russian-Indian relations are based on "special and privileged strategic partnership".

President Putin is expected to travel to India this year as part of the established framework for reciprocal annual engagements between the leaders of the two nations.

Putin and Modi maintain regular contact, holding telephone conversations once every couple of months. The two leaders also hold in-person meetings, particularly on the sidelines of international events.

In July last, Prime Minister Modi made a two-day visit to Moscow to attend the 22nd Russia-India summit. In October, he visited the Russian city of Kazan for the BRICS summit.