INDIA's external affairs minister S Jaishankar will meet Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday to discuss bilateral ties ahead of president Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi next month.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Jaishankar is arriving in Russia to lead the Indian delegation at the meeting of the Council of prime ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Tuesday.
Pakistan, also a member of the SCO, will be represented by deputy prime minister and foreign minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
Sources told PTI there is no provision for a bilateral meeting between Dar and Jaishankar.
Kremlin sources said Putin is scheduled to meet leaders of the SCO, with the meeting hosted by Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin.
China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are founding members of the SCO.
India, Pakistan, Iran and Belarus later joined as full members.
