India Dismisses Reports Of Discord With Russia During Modi's Moscow Visit

India has refuted claims of discord with Russia regarding the Ukraine issue that allegedly led to the cancellation of a scheduled larger delegation-level meeting during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent two-day visit to Moscow.

"To the best of my knowledge, there are no cancellations of any particular programming element during the Prime Minister's visit to Moscow," stated Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, addressing media queries in Vienna.

He dismissed reports as "factually incorrect" and "misleading," emphasising the success of Modi's visit.

Kwatra further highlighted the extensive discussions between Prime Minister Modi and President Vladimir Putin, which exceeded the allocated time significantly. "There was absolutely no cancellation of any kind of programme," he said.

Earlier, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov clarified to Russia's state-run TASS news agency that the decision to forego a larger breakout session after the leaders' extensive three-hour meeting was not due to any underlying issues.

He explained that the discussions covered all significant areas of bilateral cooperation comprehensively.

Responding to questions about India's stance on the Ukraine conflict, Kwatra reiterated India's commitment to resolving disputes through dialogue and diplomacy rather than military action.

"Prime Minister Modi has been one of the few leaders to publicly advocate for a peaceful solution," Kwatra stated, emphasising India's stance against the loss of innocent lives.

"Dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward for a solution. Whatever India can contribute to dialogue, India will do," said Kwatra.

(With inputs from PTI)