NSA Doval to visit Russia next week: Sources

NSA Doval will attend the BRICS NSA meeting in Moscow, they added.

The Meeting of BRICS and BRICS Plus High-Level Security Officials is scheduled to be held in St Petersburg from September 10-12.

Notably, Russia is holding the BRICS chairmanship for the year 2024. BRICS is an informal group of states comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, with new members Egypt, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia joining the grouping in 2023.

Ajit Doval had participated in the 13th BRICS NSA meeting in Johannesburg in July 2023.

Doval's visit to Moscow comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to both Russia and Ukraine in the past two months. During his visit, PM Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

It was PM Modi's first visit to Russia and Ukraine since the war started between Moscow and Kyiv in 2022. Notably, India has always advocated "peace and diplomacy" for resolving conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

During his visit to Russia in July, PM Modi held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin and discussed ways to diversify cooperation between the two nations in various sectors like trade, commerce, security, agriculture, technology, commerce, and innovation.

In a post on X, PM Modi stated, "Held productive discussions with President Putin at the Kremlin today. Our talks covered ways to diversify India-Russia cooperation in sectors such as trade, commerce, security, agriculture, technology, and innovation. We attach great importance to boosting connectivity and people-to-people exchanges."

During his talks with the Russian President, PM Narendra Modi said that there is no solution on the battlefield and added that peace talks do not succeed amid bombs, guns and bullets

PM Modi said, "As a friend, I have always said that for the bright future of our coming generations, peace is of utmost importance. But I also know that solutions are not possible on battlegrounds. Amid bombs, guns and bullets, solutions and peace talks do not succeed. We will have to follow the path to peace only through talks."

PM Modi said that everyone who believes in humanity is pained when there is a loss of lives. He further stated that it is "heart-wrenching" when innocent children are dying.

PM Modi said, "Be it war, conflicts, terror attacks - everyone who believes in humanity is pained when there is loss of lives. But when innocent children are murdered, when we see innocent children dying, it is heart-wrenching. That pain is immense. I also held a detailed discussion with you over this."

In August, PM Modi travelled to Ukraine after concluding his visit to Poland. During his meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, PM Modi called dialogue the only solution to the conflict in Ukraine.

"India was never neutral, we have always been on the side of peace," PM Modi told Zelenskyy in their bilateral meeting. PM Modi further said that India was ready to play an active role in the path to peace and progress.

Speaking to ANI in Kyiv, the Ukranian President said, "India will play its role. I think that India began to recognise that this is not just conflict, this is real war of one man and his name is Putin against whole country whose name is Ukraine. You are a big country. You have a big influence and you can stop Putin and halt his economy, and put him really in his place." (ANI)