JP Nadda meets Russian counterpart, discusses bilateral ties in health sector
New Delhi, Dec 4
Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Thursday met with his Russian counterpart, Mikhail Murashko.
The Ministers discussed bilateral ties in the health sector and reaffirmed their commitment to provide accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare.
“Union Health Minister JP Nadda met Mikhail Murashko, Health Minister of the Russian Federation, today. The discussions focused on key health sector priorities, with both sides agreeing to further enhance bilateral cooperation,†the Ministry of Health shared in a post on the social media platform X.
“India and Russia reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare for all,†the post added.
The meeting comes amid Russian President Vladimir Putin's two-day State visit to India.
Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with his Russian counterpart Andrei Belousov. They co-chaired the 22nd India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation ministerial meeting in New Delhi.
Defence Ministry in a statement said the two leaders will review the entire range of multi-faceted relations between the two countries in the field of defence during the meeting. They will also exchange views on contemporary regional and global issues of mutual interest.
This marks Putin's first trip to India since Russia's war with Ukraine started in 2022.
On Friday, he will be accorded a ceremonial welcome before formal talks begin. Following the talks, PM Modi and President Putin will make a statement to the media. Putin will lay a wreath at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial on Friday.
According to Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov, Putin will discuss important issues of bilateral ties and the international situation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Key aspects of trade and economic cooperation will be discussed, and several agreements will be signed during Putin's visit to India. The visit is also expected to yield multiple agreements, including one to facilitate the movement of Indian workers to Russia.
— IANS
Reader Comments
While health cooperation is welcome, I hope our government is also discussing the situation in Ukraine. Our foreign policy should be balanced. The focus on affordable healthcare is the right one though.
Russia has been a time-tested friend. Strengthening ties in health and defence is crucial for our strategic autonomy. The agreement for Indian workers is also a big positive for employment. Jai Hind!
Interesting to see the breadth of discussions—from health to defence. The health partnership could be promising if it focuses on real technology transfer and not just high-level statements. The proof will be in the implementation.
Putin laying a wreath at Rajghat is a significant gesture. On the health front, hope we can collaborate on vaccine production and cold chain tech. Russia has strong pharma research we can learn from.
"Accessible and affordable healthcare for all" sounds great. But will this partnership actually reduce medicine prices for the common man? Or is it another diplomatic meeting with little ground impact? We need results, not just MOUs.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.