New Delhi, Sept 2: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will leave for Moscow today on a three-day visit to Russia in order to attend the Defence Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet.

 

 

Rajnath Singh is visiting Moscow at the invitation of Defence Minister of Russian Federation General Sergei Shoigu. He will also take part in Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) member States in commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of victory in the World War II.

 

 

During his visit from September 3 to 5, the Defence Minister will hold talks with his Russian counterpart General Shoigu to discuss bilateral cooperation and issues of mutual interest. India and Russia are privileged strategic partners. The present visit marks one of many high political level interactions, which the two countries engage in regularly.

 

This will be his second visit to Moscow since June, after he had represented India at the Victory Day Parade in Moscow on June 24 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

 

Chinese Defence Minister Gen Wei Fenghe is also expected to be present at the meet but is highly unlikely that a bilateral meeting between the countries will take place.

 

The defence ministers meeting comes amid the heightened tension between India and China following China's People Liberation Army's three attempts to change the status quo on the southern bank of Pangong Tso lake in eastern Ladakh. Though there have many high level-talks between the countries since the last three months, China has violated the previous consensus arrived at during military and diplomatic engagements during the ongoing standoff in Eastern Ladakh.

 

On the other hand, Russia has categorically stated that both neighbours must resolve the border dispute through communication channels talks and that a “constructive relationship” between the two countries was paramount for regional stability.