New Delhi

It’s not common for the Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet a dignitary not matching his position. So when he met India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval at St Petersberg amidst his support for a BRICS and especially India-led mediation with Ukraine, all eyes were on the meeting.

Ajit Doval calling on Putin on the sidelines of the BRICS (Brazil,  Russia, India, China and South Africa) security leader's meet was construed as India continuing its efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. According to Russian News Agency Spuitnik, Putin told Doval that he would like to have  another meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sputnik reported Putin telling Doval,"I propose holding a 2nd meet on Oct 22. Please, send Mr. Modi our warm regards and best wishes—he is a great friend of ours." - Putin during talks with NSA Ajit Doval.

⚡️BREAKING: 🇷🇺Putin invites 🇮🇳PM Modi for separate meet on sidelines of BRICS summit in Kazan

"I propose holding a 2nd meet on Oct 22. Please, send Mr. Modi our warm regards and best wishes—he is a great friend of ours." - Putin during talks with NSA Ajit Doval https://t.co/qyKUDOyhED pic.twitter.com/iq9U4Ah04v

— Sputnik India (@Sputnik_India) September 12, 2024

It may be recalled that Modi is expected to attend the BRICS summit in the Russia City of Kazan and Putin is referring to a meeting there.

Doval told Putin that he had come to brief him about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last month against the backdrop of a fresh push for peace talks to end the Ukraine conflict.

A video clip of the meeting between Putin and Doval circulated by Sputnik, Russia media outlet, shows the NSA sayng that he was there speficially on orders of Prime Minister Modi to brief you about his Ukraine visit.”

⚡️BREAKING: India-Russia agreements advancing as planned following meeting with 🇮🇳Modi - 🇷🇺Putin during talks with NSA Ajit Doval https://t.co/QJb0bGY4kr pic.twitter.com/hN6T7pJ5wU

— Sputnik India (@Sputnik_India) September 12, 2024

Doval, who was in the Russian city of St Petersburg for a meeting of senior security officials of the BRICS, also held a separate meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during which the two sides agreed to “redouble their efforts” for complete disengagement at remaining friction points on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

While both meetings were crucial, much of the focus was on Doval’s talks with the Russian leadership, given recent comments by Putin and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni that India and China can play a role in taking forward efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Doval also held a separate meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu.

Referring to a recent phone conversation between the Russian president and the Indian prime minister, Doval said, “He (Modi) was keen to brief you about his visit to Ukraine and his meeting with President Zelensky.

“And he wanted me to come specially and personally and brief you on the talks. The talks were in a closed format; it was only the two leaders. He had two people with him, and I happened to be with the prime minister. So, I witnessed that... conversation.”

Doval was part of the delegation that accompanied Modi on his visit to Russia in July and to Ukraine in August and has been closely involved in discussions with both sides on ways to end hostilities and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy.

“I also suggest holding a bilateral meeting there on October 22 in order to close the books on our joint work in implementing the agreements reached during his visit to Moscow and outline some prospects for the near future,” Putin said, speaking in Russian.

Modi’s visit to Russia was “highly successful” and “subsequent work is progressing very effectively”, Putin said. “Security issues have always been, and continue to be, among our top priorities,” he added.

Doval’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, who also holds the post of foreign minister, understandably focused on the military standoff on the LAC that began in April-May 2020 and has taken bilateral relations to a six-decade low.

NSA Ajit Doval holding talks wioth Chinese foreign Minister Wang Li

The external affairs ministry said in a handout that the meeting between Doval and Wang was an opportunity for the two sides to review recent efforts towards finding an “early resolution of the remaining issues” along the LAC, which will “create conditions to stabilise and rebuild bilateral relations”.

“Both sides agreed to work with urgency and redouble their efforts to realise complete disengagement in the remaining areas [of the LAC],” the readout said.

India and China have so far pulled back frontline troops from both banks of Pangong Lake, Gogra and Hot Spring but have been unable to resolve their difference on "friction points” at Depsang and Demchok even after dozens of rounds of diplomatic and military talks.

Doval told Wang that peace and tranquillity in the border areas and respect for the LAC are “essential for normalcy in bilateral relations”. He said, “Both sides must fully abide by relevant bilateral agreements, protocols, and understandings reached in the past by the two governments.”

The two sides agreed the India-China relationship is significant not just for the two countries but for the region and the world, the readout said. The two sides also exchanged views on the global and regional situation.

ALSO READ: Has PM Modi's Kyiv visit placed India in peace broker's seat in Russia-Ukraine conflict?

The talks between Doval and Wang could also prepare the grounds for a possible meeting between Modi and President Xi Jinping on the margins of the BRUCS Summit to be held in Kazan in October, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity. “The coming weeks will be essential in deciding on whether there will be a meeting between the top leadership of India and China in Kazan,” one of the people said.