SOCHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today invoked former premier and veteran politician Atal Bihari Vajpayee on several times in his opening remarks during his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin here to underline the strong bond between the two “strategic partners”.
Prime Minister Modi, who is here for the first informal summit with Putin, referred to the 93-year-old BJP statesman at least seven times in his opening remarks.
Vajpayee was the Prime Minister of India when Putin became Russian President for the first time in 2000.
Modi’s first reference to Vajpayee came as he recalled Putin’s first visit to India as the Russian President in 2000.
“At that time you had praised the civilisation of India and Russia, and strong democracy, lively democracy to define our relations,” he said.
“Being a friend of Russia for a long time, we want to see Russia as a strong and confident country having an important role in the multipolar world,” Modi quoted Vajpayee as saying during Putin’s visit to India in 2000. (AGENCIES)
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