Chairman of the State Duma of Russia Vyacheslab Volodin, a close aide of President Vladimir Putin, on Monday held talks with President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on a range of issues.

Speaking to the Russian delegation led by Mr Volodin, President Murmu emphasised the need for regular exchanges between the two countries.

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Exchanges of this nature among public representatives not only foster stronger cooperation but also allow the partnership to remain contemporary and updated, she said.

The President stated that the positive impact of regular contacts is also evident in the broader ‘India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership’, which continues to benefit significantly from the ongoing interaction at various levels.

She also noted that at the leadership level, there is regular interaction between Prime Minister Modi and President Putin. The level of cooperation between parliaments has also been very good.

She said that mechanisms like the Inter-Parliamentary Commission have played an important role in facilitating cooperation. She emphasised on special attention to closer interaction between women and youth parliamentarians of India and Russia.

The President shared with the delegation that she had inaugurated the New Delhi World Book Fair, where Russia is the Focus Country.

She said that this fair gives Indian readers a wonderful opportunity to get to know the rich literary heritage of Russia. She urged for stronger engagements in cultural and artistic domains.

“We have special relations. They are developing on the principles of friendship, non-interference in the affairs of sovereign states and mutually beneficial cooperation,” Mr Volodin said during his meeting with the Vice President.

The Chairman of the State Duma pointed out that the leaders of the States continue to make a “great contribution” to the development of the Russian-Indian dialogue.

The Vice President’s office stated that discussions touched upon diverse facets of the multi-dimensional bilateral relationship between India and Russia.