National
Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval is scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart
Nikolai Patrushev in New Delhi on Wednesday. The Secretary of Russia’s Security
Council, Patrushev will arrive in the national capital later this evening, with
News 18 quoting sources to report that the meeting with Doval will primarily
focus on the geo-political developments regarding Pakistan, China and Afghanistan.

A
high-ranking government source told News 18 that Russia is an “old ally” and
that India is looking to maintain “good relations” with them. The sources also
said that Doval is expected to brief Patrushev, a close confidant of President
Vladimir Putin, on the security challenges and other developing situations in
the region.

Patrushev
had earlier told reporters that they were ready to hold talks with Afghanistan
authorities, saying Russia is “interested to see peaceful, united and
developing Afghanistan, wich poses no threat to the region”.

“We are
ready for a dialogue with the authorities, which will be proceeding from the
will of people, will be following the aspirations of their people and will be
working on turning Afghanistan into a normally operational, strong and
flourishing country,” he was quoted as saying.

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Patrushev
has also reportedly initiated dialogue with security councils, military and
special services of countries neighbouring Afghanistan, including Uzbekistan
and Tajikistan.

Doval had
earlier met Patrushev on the sidelines of the SCO meeting in Tajikistan in
June, during which they discussed plans for Russia-India interaction in the security
sphere and cooperation among the security and law enforcement agencies.

Meanwhile,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the annual summit of the five-nation
grouping BRICS on Thursday in the virtual format and it is expected to focus
extensively on the situation in Afghanistan, PTI reported.

The meeting
will be attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi
Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro,
according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).