India and Russia on Friday reaffirmed their commitment to deepening agricultural cooperation and expanding bilateral trade during a high-level meeting between Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev at Krishi Bhawan.
The two leaders held comprehensive discussions on a range of issues of mutual interest, with a particular focus on strengthening collaboration in agriculture. Key areas included enhancing India’s agricultural exports to Russia, improving market access, and exploring new opportunities for technical and research partnerships.
Welcoming the Russian delegation, Chouhan emphasized the strong and time-tested partnership between the two nations, built on mutual trust and understanding. He highlighted India’s priorities in the agriculture sector—ensuring food security, raising farmer incomes, and providing safe, nutritious food to all citizens. “International cooperation plays a crucial role in the welfare of farmers and in securing food for citizens across the world,” Chouhan said, reiterating India’s commitment to the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family).
Deputy Prime Minister Patrushev underlined Russia’s keen interest in expanding agricultural trade and expressed readiness to formalize the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). He noted the robust history of Indo-Russian cooperation across multiple sectors, describing agriculture as an area with significant potential for future growth.
The meeting also covered potential collaborations in seed traceability systems, research and development initiatives, and technical exchanges aimed at fostering innovation and technology adoption in farming. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in education and scholarship opportunities for students in agriculture-related fields.
The Russian delegation included Deputy Minister of Agriculture Maksim Markovich, Ambassador Denis Alipov, and Sergey Dankvert, Head of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance. The Indian side was represented by Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi, officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, and senior representatives from DARE and other key departments.
Both countries reaffirmed their shared commitment to work towards balanced and sustainable growth in the agriculture sector, with a view to strengthening global food security and creating new opportunities for farmers and agribusinesses in both nations.