India's President Pranab Mukherjee arrives in Moscow

India's President Pranab Mukherjee has come to Moscow on May 7 at the invitation of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and is staying till May 10 and taking part in the memorial events celebrating the 70^th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War, Press-Secretary of the Indian diplomatic mission Amarendra Parida said.

One of the highlights of the visit will be President Mukherjee’s taking part in the Victory day parade on May 9.

Alexander Kadakin, Russia’s Ambassador to India, emphasised that Russia highly values and welcomes President P.K.Mukherjee’s participation in the celebrations of our victory in the Great Patriotic War against Nazism. He said: “It is a telling gesture towards my country of such a long-time and tested friend, as Mr Mukherjee, as also a symbol of solidarity of the people of India in grateful remembrance of the 27 million lives my country laid on the altar of the Allied Victory.”

Ambassador Kadakin spoke highly of India’s role in the last World War underlining that “Russia also cherishes India’s active role in the last World War and the sympathy of the most illustrious founding fathers and all sons and daughters of this great land showed for the heroic efforts of the former Soviet Union.”

Apart from participating at memorial events, India's President will hold a bilateral summit with President Putin. President Mukherjee will also meet rectors of Russian universities in the building of the Moscow State University.   

India’s President will have a meeting with eminent Russian Indologists, and he will be given an honourable Doctor in Sciences degree. He will also inaugurate the Festival “Namaste, Russia!”

According to Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs of India Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the two leaders are expected to sign an agreement between the science and technology department and the Russian scientific foundation. Besides, eight MOUs are expected to be signed between the higher education institutions of the both countries. 

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