First Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council is on working visit to the Republic of India.
First Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Vladimir Yakushev has held a series of meetings in New Delhi, focusing on Russian-Indian interparliamentary cooperation, humanitarian issues, trade, education, culture, and labour migration.
Senator Yakushev, who heads the Federation Council’s Cooperation Group with the Council of States of the Parliament of the Republic of India, met with Harivansh Narayan Singh, Deputy Chairman of the Council of States.
“For Russia, further strengthening our special and privileged strategic partnership with India is of paramount importance. This partnership is built on mutual respect, trust, a balanced consideration of each other’s interests, and a shared commitment to a unifying, non-confrontational agenda,” the senator emphasised.
He noted that Russia remains committed to active cooperation in shaping a new, fairer and more sustainable world order, upholding the rule of international law, jointly addressing contemporary challenges and threats, and fostering economic progress across different regions of the world.
“These principles are key to successful joint efforts on a wide range of global and regional issues. Traditionally, not only the executive and judicial branches but also the parliaments of both countries play an important role in advancing them,” the First Deputy Speaker said.
Vladimir Yakushev praised the outcomes of the Russian-Indian summit held in October 2025 in New Delhi. He noted that cooperation between the two countries is steadily expanding, including within the frameworks of BRICS, the SCO, the UN, and the G20.
During a meeting with Om Birla, Speaker of the House of the People of the Indian Parliament, the two sides discussed the development of interparliamentary cooperation. “We believe it would be useful to establish and expand direct contacts between the relevant committees of our two parliaments. Dates have been set for interparliamentary events under the country’s BRICS chairmanship. We hope that meetings between parliamentarians and the Indian leadership will be arranged.” Vladimir Yakushev also proposed considering the revival of the Russian-Indian Interparliamentary Commission.
The senator discussed the current state and prospects for interparliamentary dialogue with Nishikant Dubey, a member of the lower house of the Indian parliament and head of the friendship group with Russia. He proposed exploring closer contacts between the friendship groups and invited Mr Dubey to lead a delegation to Moscow next year for a full-scale meeting.
Vladimir Yakushev also expressed hope that the launch of the friendship group with Russia would help intensify dialogue within the Russian-Indian Interparliamentary Commission. He also drew attention to economic cooperation. “We are expanding trade relations. Our benchmark is the Programme for the Development of Strategic Areas of India-Russia Economic Cooperation until 2030, adopted in New Delhi last December,” Mr Yakushev stressed.
He also noted that Russia expects an official delegation from India to attend the St Petersburg International United Cultures Forum and the International Youth Festival in Yekaterinburg.