Question : SCO Defence Ministers Meet in Moscow

(a) whether the Defence Minister has attended the Victory Day Parade recently conducted in Russia and also Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers meeting held in Moscow;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether any meeting with Chinese counterpart was held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation;
(d) if so, the outcome thereof;
(e) whether the Union Government has signed any bilateral agreement with Russian Government during the visit and if so, the details thereof; and
(f) whether he also met the Russian Defence Minister and apprised him of the border situation and if so, the reaction of Russian Government thereto?

MINISTER OF STATE (SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK)
IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE


(a) & (b): Yes, Sir. Hon’ble Defence Minister (Raksha Mantri) represented India in the Victory Day parade in Moscow on 24th June, 2020 and also participated in the joint meeting of Defence Ministers from the SCO, CSTO, CIS member countries in Moscow on 4th September, 2020. During the visit for the Victory Day parade, Raksha Mantri had a meeting with the Russain Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Yury Borisov and discussed bilateral defence and defence industrial cooperation as well as regional issues.

(c) & (d): Yes, Sir. Details have been put out in the Government of India press release by Ministry of External Affairs on 5th September, 2020.

(e) & (f): There was no separate bilateral agreement signed with Russian Government during the recent two visits of Raksha Mantri. During bilateral meeting with the Russian Defence Minister, both bilateral and regional issues were discussed with Russia.

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