PM Modi and Putin share deep bond; Russia our closest friend: Dharmendra Pradhan

Their friendship is beyond the business and diplomatic relations, added the BJP Minister.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin share a deep bond, said Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. 

“PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin share a deep friendship and respect for each other which is beyond the business and diplomatic relations,” said the BJP leader at the ‘Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership’ event on Thursday. 

“Today Russia is the closest friend,” he added. 

Earlier in the day, Pradhan tweeted, “Today, Russia is our largest investment destination in the oil & gas sector. I believe that our time tested relationship has no expiry date. Russia will always be a priority in India’s foreign & energy policy and both our countries will remain as a role model for global communities.”

Today,Russia is our largest investment destination in the oil & gas sector.I believe that our time tested relationship has no expiry date.Russia will always be a priority in India’s foreign & energy policy and both our countries will remain as a role model for global communities. pic.twitter.com/wvTNwAFV13

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) September 13, 2018

“Last year we celebrated 70 years of diplomatic ties between India & Russia. The seventy plus years of our bilateral relations has been further strengthened by Hon. PM @narendramodi & President Putin in the last couple of years by adopting the historic St. Petersburg declaration,” he added. 

“Our energy relations were never as strong as they have become in the last couple of years. Our engagement in the hydrocarbon sector, including some major investments, has become one of the key pillars of our bilateral relations. 

“India & Russia have deeply strengthened their hydrocarbon engagement & we have also built an ‘Energy Bridge’ between our two countries. Soviet technology helped us in oil & gas since 1960s. Striking oil at Bombay High, India’s biggest oil & gas field was also due to soviet experts,” he further tweeted. 

India has embarked on the path of becoming a gas-based economy, he said, adding that state-run energy companies are looking to participate in more oil and gas projects in Russia.