Moscow, Sep 18 — Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Dhiraj Seth, met Russian Deputy Minister of Defence, General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, in Moscow on Friday, with discussions centered on further strengthening long-standing India-Russia defence cooperation through joint capability development, military exchanges and greater engagements between the two armed forces.
Following the meeting, the Indian Army took to X and posted: “General Dhiraj Seth, COAS, during his ongoing official visit to Russia, visited Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation and interacted with General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, Deputy Minister of Defence. The engagement focussed on joint capability development, professional military exchanges and avenues for enhanced military-to-military engagements.”
According to the Indian Army, the COAS also held a meeting with Vinay Kumar, Indian Ambassador to Russia, and discussed matters of bilateral cooperation and measures for deepening defence ties between the two countries.
On Thursday, General Seth received a ceremonial Guard of Honour and paid homage at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, dedicated to Soviet soldiers killed during World War II.
“The COAS also visited the Russian Land Forces Headquarters, where interactions were held on issues of mutual interest, focussed on deepening military cooperation, expanding training engagements and strengthening capability development between the two Armies,” the Indian Army posted on X.
General Seth embarked on a three-day official visit to Russia on Wednesday, aimed at deepening the longstanding defence partnership and military-to-military cooperation between the two countries.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the engagements would provide an opportunity to exchange perspectives on contemporary military developments and avenues for enhancing defence cooperation.
As part of the visit, General Seth will also travel to the Russian city of Saint Petersburg, where he will visit the Mikhailovskaya Military Artillery Academy and interact with its leadership and faculty.
"The visit reflects the importance attached by both countries to sustained military diplomacy and Army-to-Army engagement. The interactions are expected to further deepen military cooperation and reinforce the enduring defence relationship between India and Russia," the Defence Ministry said, ahead of General Seth’s visit.
Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi and once again reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy were the way forward in resolving ongoing conflicts.
As the two leaders shared perspectives on key regional and global issues of mutual interest, including the conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region, which have impacted maritime trade and the safety and security of Indian seafarers, PM Modi reiterated that India stands ready to assist in peace efforts.