Bangalore, October 27: The ninth trilateral meeting between Russia, India and China (RIC) began here on Tuesday to explore business opportunities in key sectors, including infrastructure and energy, that will be mutually beneficially to the three countries in the region, a senior official said.
The meet began as India’s External Affairs Minister SM Krishna welcomed his counterparts from Russia and China by presenting them with garlands and traditional south Indian head turbans.
“The Foreign Ministers of RIC countries will discuss trade and business opportunities in infrastructure, energy, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and nanotechnology for mutual benefit,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash told reporters here on Monday.
Briefing the media on the trilateral meeting in which External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will participate, Prakash said the trio will exchange views on regional and international issues as well.
“Some of the global issues on the agenda are climate change, world trade and the global financial crisis from which the world is gradually emerging,” Prakash noted.
The three Foreign Ministers will sign a joint declaration after the two-hour long meeting, which will also focus on collaborating to consolidate the structure for a greater role in world affairs.
The trilateral meeting is a useful forum for political exchange on regional and international issues. The three countries account for 20 percent of the global land mass and 39 percent of the global population.
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The interaction is being held in the backdrop of bilateral meetings Krishna and Lavrov had during the 15th session of the Indo-Russian inter-governmental commission in Moscow Oct 21 and between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at Han Hin in Thailand Oct 24 on the margins of Indo-ASEAN summit.
“The RIC process also encourages academic exchanges. India enjoys most important and time-tested relations with Russia based upon mutual trust, continuity and understanding,” Prakash said.
“Similarly, there is a national consensus in India and China to preserve and strengthen the fundamentals of the relationship between the two countries. We are in the process of consolidating the strategic partnership established in 2000.”
–Agencies