MOSCOW: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin and apprised him of preparations underway for the upcoming annual India-Russia summit.
Putin shook hands with Jaishankar, receiving him in the Representative Office of the Senate Palace in the Kremlin, state-run TASS news agency reported.
"Honoured to call on President Putin of Russia in Moscow today. Conveyed greetings of Prime Minister @narendramodi," Jaishankar said on social media.
"Apprised him of preparations underway for the upcoming Annual India Russia Summit. Also discussed regional and global developments. Deeply value his perspectives and guidance on further advancement of our ties," the minister added.
The visuals released by the Kremlin showed Putin welcoming Jaishankar, who was accompanied by Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar and Joint Secretary Mayank Singh.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Maxim Oreshkin, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov and Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko.
The meeting comes ahead of Putin's planned year-end visit to India.
The Russian president is expected to visit India around December 5 to hold annual summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On Monday, Jaishankar held extensive talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. The meeting comes as the two sides prepare for President Putin's visit to India for the 23rd annual summit.
Earlier, Jaishankar called on President Putin along with other heads of delegation of the SCO member states.
President Putin sat down with Jaishankar after meeting with representatives of all the SCO countries.
The earlier meeting was also attended by Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin, Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, Prime Ministers Alexander Turchin of Belarus, Oljas Bektenov of Kazakhstan, Adylbek Kasymaliyev of Kyrgyzstan, Kokhir Rasulzoda of Tajikistan and Abdulla Aripov of Uzbekistan, as well as Pakistan Deputy PM Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary General Nurlan Yermekbayev.
On the sidelines of the SCO, Jaishankar also met Mongolia's Prime Minister Gombojavyn Zandanshatar and Qatari PM/FM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
He also thanked Russian PM Mishustin for hosting the SCO Heads of Government meeting and appreciated his hospitality.