New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a phone call that Russia fully backs India’s fight against terrorism and that the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack must be brought to justice.
A Russian embassy readout said Putin described the terror attack as “barbaric” and that both the leaders emphasised the need for an “uncompromising fight” against terrorism in all its manifestations.
It also said that President Putin accepted the prime minister’s invitation for the annual India-Russia summit to be held in India this year.
During the conversation with Modi, Putin “strongly condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam” and conveyed condolences at the loss of innocent lives, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a social media post.
The Russian president was among the first world leaders to condemn the April 22 terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
Putin conveyed “deepest condolences on the loss of innocent lives and expressed “full support” to India in the fight against terrorism, Jaiswal said.
“He emphasised that the perpetrators of the heinous attack and their supporters must be brought to justice,” the MEA spokesperson added.
Both leaders reiterated their commitment to deepen the special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia.
Modi conveyed his greetings to Putin for the 80th anniversary of the Victory Day and invited him for the annual India-Russia summit to be held in India later this year, Jaiswal said.
The Russian readout said the president once again “expressed his sincere condolences over the death of Indian citizens as a result of the barbaric terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam”.
During the conversation, the strategic nature of Russia-India relations as a special privileged partnership was emphasised, it said.
These relations are not subject to “external influence” and continue to develop dynamically in all areas, it said.
It said Modi congratulated Putin and all the Russian people on the upcoming 80th anniversary of Victory Day.
The Modi-Putin phone conversation came days after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke to his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar.
Following the call, Jaishankar reiterated India’s resolve to bring the “perpetrators, backers and planners” of the attack to justice.
On his part, Lavrov called for the “settlement of disagreements between New Delhi and Islamabad by political and diplomatic means on a bilateral basis in accordance with the provisions of the Simla Agreement of 1972 and the Lahore Declaration of 1999,” according to the Russian embassy.
Soon after the Pahalgam terror attack, India, citing “cross-border linkages” to the strike, promised severe punishment to those involved in it.
In a high-level meeting with the top defence brass on April 29, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the armed forces have “complete operational freedom” to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India’s response to the terror attack.
