Rajnath Singh Visits Russia To Attend Grand Parade; FMs Of Russia-India-China To Meet On June 23

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is on a three-day visit to Russia Starting June 22. Singh will attend a grand military parade in Moscow to mark the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Germany in the Second World War. The defence minister's visit comes in the midst of an escalating border standoff between India and China, particularly after the killing of 20 Indian Army personnel by Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley on June 15. Officials said Singh is going ahead with the visit, notwithstanding the border tension with China, due to India's decades-old military ties with Russia. The Indian team will participate in the parade alongside armed forces personnel from at least 11 countries including China. As Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hosts the Russia-India-China trilateral foreign ministers’ meeting on June 23, Moscow is emerging a key player amid the tension between New Delhi & Beijing. June 23 meet will be the first opportunity for External Affairs minister S Jaishankar and Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to engage in that trilateral format. Asked on the possibility of discussing the India-China tension, Moscow responded in a very calibrated manner last week.