"All humanity is one of the undivided and indivisible family, and each of us is responsible for the misdeeds of all the others".
Mahatma Gandhi
2017 is a special year for Russian-Indian relations. The 70th anniversary of bilateral diplomacy is a serious date and an important anniversary. Over the years, Russia and India have become friendly and serious strategic partners.
"We are celebrating a significant date – the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and India. Over the years, a lot has happened and many things have changed, but the main thing in our bilateral relations remains: these are special, trusting, friendly relations between our countries and peoples", said Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 1, 2017, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
Russian-Indian relations have a long history, including the stage when India was a British colony and Russia was under the Tsar's rule. In 1947, when India gained independence from Great Britain, the government began to establish official contacts and diplomatic relations. During the Cold War, the USSR and India were linked by economic and military relations. Thus, 2017 is a jubilee for the country – the 70th anniversary of India's independence, as well as 70 years of its diplomatic relations with various countries of the world, including Russia.
To date, our countries cooperate on several levels: trade partnership, political dialogue (supported by the embassy and consulate sites in both countries, including embassies in Moscow and New Delhi, consulates in St. Petersburg and Vladivostok as well as in Chennai, Calcutta, Mumbai), interaction within the framework of international structures, cultural exchange, and many others.