Jaishankar asks Lavrov for safe return of Indians from ‘war zone’
“Raised our strong concern on Indian nationals who are currently in the war zone. Pressed for their safe and expeditious return,” Jaishankar said
External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday raised the issue of Indian nationals in the war zone with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and pressed for their safe return to India.
Jaishankar’s meeting with Lavrov took place at Astana in Kazakhstan where he reached on Tuesday to represent India at the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Jaishankar said he had wide-ranging conversation on bilateral relations and contemporary issues with Lavrov.
Indians in war zone
The meeting happened days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's planned visit to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Raised our strong concern on Indian nationals who are currently in the war zone. Pressed for their safe and expeditious return,” Jaishankar said in his post.
Murat Nurtleu
The minister also discussed the global strategic landscape and exchanged views with Lavrov.
Earlier on Tuesday, Jaishankar met Kazakhstan deputy prime minister Murat Nurtleu and discussed expanding the Strategic Partnership and India's increasing engagement with Central Asia.