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Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov on Thursday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties in areas of investment, energy and industrial cooperation. Manturov, on a two-day visit to India, also held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The Russian embassy said Modi and Manturov discussed "specific steps to implement agreements reached" during the India-Russia summit held in December last. "Particular attention was paid to further strengthening Russia-India trade, economic, investment, energy and industrial cooperation," it said on social media. In their meeting, Doval and Manturov were learnt to have discussed bilateral defence cooperation besides the evolving regional security situation. The Russian first deputy PM's visit to New Delhi comes days after India cleared procurement of a fresh batch of five S-400 missile systems from Russia. The decision to procure the .
Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar on Tuesday met Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko and discussed "pressing" bilateral and international issues, including the situation in the Asia-Pacific region. The meeting came in the backdrop of Washington's claim that New Delhi has agreed to stop importing Russian crude oil. In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, "The sides discussed the schedule of upcoming political contacts, pressing bilateral and international issues, including the situation in the Asia-Pacific region." Following a recent phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States President Donald Trump, both sides announced a reduction of the US tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent. The reduction included the removal of a 25-per cent tariff that Trump had slapped on India in August last year for New Delhi's purchase of Russian oil. India has not yet confirmed or denied Washington's claim that it has committed to stoppi
Except US President Donald Trump, nobody else has declared that India will stop buying Russian oil, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the country's parliament Wednesday. Lavrov's comments came two days after Russia accused the US of attempting to prevent India and other countries from buying Russian oil, saying Washington was using a wide range of "coercive" measures, including tariffs, sanctions and direct prohibitions. On Wednesday, responding to a lawmaker in the State Duma (Lower House), Lavrov said, "You mentioned that Donald Trump announced India's agreement to no longer purchase Russian oil. I have not heard such a statement from anyone else, including Prime Minister Modi and other Indian leaders." Lavrov noted that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, setting the trend for India's chairmanship of BRICS, told the first meeting of sherpas in New Delhi that energy security will be one of the top items of the BRICS summit, expected to be attended by Russian President Vladim