India, Russia to commemorate 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations with series of events across both countries: Ambassador Vinay Kumar
By Aditya Prakash, Moscow, August 6
India's Ambassador to Russia, Vinay Kumar, on Wednesday said India and Russia are set to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with a series of events across both countries, describing the milestone year as particularly significant for the strategic partnership.
Speaking to ANI, Kumar said both sides were working on a comprehensive programme of activities spanning multiple sectors.
"2027 will be the 80th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Russia and both sides are discussing the proper celebration of this event. We look forward to having a series of events in the two countries, in different cities, in economic, commerce, science and technology, cultural and people-to-people ties related events to commemorate this milestone of 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations," he said.
Calling the year important for bilateral ties, the Ambassador said India is also expecting Russian participation in the BRICS Summit, which will be hosted in New Delhi next month.
"So, first of all, I would like to tell you that this year is particularly important for our relationship. We are expecting Russian participation in the BRICS summit, which will be held next month in New Delhi. So far, in various BRICS meetings, Russian participation has been at high levels. Together with this multilateral cooperation within the framework of BRICS, we are also very actively continuing our bilateral cooperation," Kumar said.
His remarks come as India, which holds the BRICS Chairmanship for 2026, intensifies preparations for the 18th BRICS Summit scheduled to be held in New Delhi on September 12-13.
Earlier, Russian news agency TASS, citing a government source, reported that India had formally invited Russia to participate in the summit. Separately, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said preparations for the summit were underway in full swing.
India has also invited several countries to participate in the outreach segment of the summit. Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry confirmed that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has received an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the outreach session.
India's BRICS Chairmanship in 2026 is guided by the theme, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability." The grouping, comprising 11 member nations, serves as a key platform for cooperation on global political, economic and developmental issues.
— ANI
Reader Comments
India-Russia relations are a classic example of a time-tested friendship. While the West talks about values, Russia has always stood by India on every critical issue, be it Kashmir or defence supplies. Hope the anniversary celebrations strengthen our ties further, especially in technology and space research.
80 years of diplomatic relations, wow! Time really flies. I still remember how the MiG-21s and T-72 tanks were the backbone of our defence forces. Now we're collaborating in nuclear energy and even space. This is one relationship that has truly stood the test of time. Jai Hind!
It's heartening to hear about the upcoming celebrations. The cultural exchanges between India and Russia have been beautiful—from Bollywood movies being popular there to Russian literature being cherished here. But I do hope that beyond the ceremonies, we focus on diversifying trade and enhancing people-to-people connections. That's where the real future lies.
Another example of India's smart diplomacy - maintaining strong ties with Russia while balancing relationships with the West. This 80-year partnership has been mutually beneficial and I'm confident the BRICS summit in Delhi next month will add another acha chapter to this story. Dosti zindabad! 🎉
While I appreciate the diplomatic celebrations, I wish our governments would also focus on the average person's experience. Trade volumes between our two countries haven't grown as much as they could have in the past decade. Let's use these 80 years of friendship to build a more robust trade corridor, especially in agriculture and pharmaceuticals, which would benefit the common citizen.