NEW DELHI: The 15th Russia, India, China (RIC) Foreign Ministerial meeting began here on Monday, with the agenda of reviewing global and regional issues of mutual interest and discussing trilateral exchanges and activities.
Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, who arrived here on Sunday evening for the meeting, had separate meetings with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday.
Later, they called on President Ram Nath Kovind. ”Imparting fresh momentum to our bilateral relationship, EAM @Sushma Swaraj had a positive and forward looking meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New Delhi ahead of Russia, India & China (RIC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting,” EAM Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted after her meeting, with Mr Wang.
At the trilateral RIC meeting, India is expected to raise the issue of terrorism, but may not allow any specific subject like China’s stand on Masood Azhar, to derail the developmental agenda.
India’s main focus would be on connectivity and energy, and it was going to the RIC meeting with a ”positive and forward” looking agenda, sources here said.
Besides the Chinese stand on Masood Azhar, CPEC and Doklam, there are various other issues on which the two major powers of Asia have differences, but India wants these not to come in the way of moving ahead with Beijing in areas, where the two countries have convergence. A joint statement is expected to be released, following the meeting.
The Ministry of External Affairs will be holding a media briefing after the trilateral meeting later in the afternoon. (AGENCIES)
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