North New

New Delhi, September 12

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held a bilateral meeting with Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, on the sidelines of the BRICS NSAs meeting in Saint Petersburg. Both sides reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation and discussed important issues of mutual interest.

Besides it, earlier External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar, while reaffirming India’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, emphasized the need for negotiations off the battlefield, with India ready to offer its guidance. His comments come at a time when NSA chief Doval is in Moscow for a key meeting of NSAs. Doval is said to be carrying a peace proposal from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which will be presented to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In parallel with these diplomatic efforts, Dr. Jaishankar also made an official visit to Germany from September 10-11. This marked his third visit to Berlin since taking over as EAM and his second visit to Germany in 2024, following his participation in the Munich Security Conference in February. During this visit, Jaishankar met his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany, and reviewed the entire range of bilateral relations, especially in preparation for the 7th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) set to take place in New Delhi in October 2024. This high-level meeting will be chaired by the Prime Minister of India and the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz.

EAM Jaishankar also met with Chancellor Scholz and extended Prime Minister Modi’s invitation for him to visit India for the 7th IGC. Chancellor Scholz expressed satisfaction with the progress of the India-Germany Strategic Partnership. Jaishankar’s visit further included discussions with key figures such as Jens Ploetner, Foreign and Security Policy Advisor to the Chancellor, and Boris Pistorius, Federal Minister of Defence, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening strategic, defence, and security cooperation.

Additionally, Jaishankar met with prominent German politicians, including Friedrich Merz, Chairman of the CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group, and Michael Roth, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Bundestag. The discussions touched on deepening parliamentary cooperation and addressing key regional and global developments, including the Ukraine crisis and Indo-Pacific issues.

India and Germany, celebrating 25 years of their strategic partnership in 2025, continue to collaborate across various sectors such as trade, defence, science, and sustainability. Jaishankar’s visit underscores the strong and diversified relationship between the two nations.