As an increasing number of countries have backed India’s stand on Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, Russia has said that it reiterates the territorial integrity and non-interference of third parties in India. It was said in a press release issued by Ministry of External Affairs during the visit of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to Russia.
The NSA visited Moscow on 21st August and held talks with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev, the Secretary of the Russian National Security Council.
In the meeting, both India and Russia reaffirmed their intention to intensify counter-terrorism operation. Although the statement does not mention Kashmir, it says that “the longstanding position of both sides on importance of their bilateral consultations and mutual support for principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity and non-interference of third parties was reiterated.”
This implies that Russia has backed India’s position on issues like territorial integrity and rejection of any third party intervention during the trip of Ajit Doval to Russia after he spent over a week in Jammu and Kashmir overseeing the law and order and security arrangements in the state.
Russia was the first permanent member of the UN security council to declare that the Modi government’s decision over Jammu and Kashmir are an internal matter.
The visit by Doval focused on preparations for PM’s visit to Vladivostok for the Eastern Economic Forum in early September, bilateral cooperation between the two National Security Councils as well as regional and international issues. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar will visit Moscow next week to expand talks on strategic and economic partnership between the two countries.
Ajit Doval also met Dmitry Rogozin, Director of Russian space agency ROSCOSMOS, to review ongoing cooperation in the space field and the Gaganyaan programme of India. Rogozin applauded the progress of the Chandrayaan programme and conveyed Russia’s support and best wishes for the Mission’s success. Both sides also discussed long term aspects of space cooperation, which is expected to figure prominently in the Bilateral summit in Vladivostok.
