India, Russia to Team Up to Open Northern Sea Route for International Trade

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on Friday said that India would partner with Russia to jointly open the Northern Sea Route for international trade and commerce.

"India and Russia will also be partner in opening of the Northern Sea Route for international trade and commerce," Modi said, as quoted by the Indian foreign ministry.

Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum (EFF) in Russia, the prime minister noted that the two countries had made significant progress in several areas in developing commercial ties despite disruptions caused by the pandemic.

"The friendship between India and Russia has stood the test of time. Most recently, it was seen in our robust cooperation during the Covid-19 pandemic, including in the area of vaccines. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of the health and pharma sectors in our bilateral cooperation," Modi said.

The sixth edition of the EEF, running from September 2-4 at the Far Eastern Federal University campus in Vladivostok, aims to develop business ties and attract national and international investors to Russia's Far East.