New Delhi: India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval will not participate in the 13th international meeting of higher representatives for the security issues set in Moscow from 27 May to 29 May, PTI said on Monday citing sources.According to officials, the Dowal was slated to attend the major multilateral safety platform organized by Russia, but had to withdraw due to seasonal flu. “However, he is unable to attend the meeting due to being unmarried with a seasonal flu,” the NSA stated that NSA is ready for early bilateral busyness with Russia on strategic and security matters, “PTI reported.The earlier reports after his absence indicated that Dowal was expected to visit Russia this week for this week.During his last visit to Russia for the BRICS NSA-level meeting in St. Petersburg in 2024, Doval met Russian President Vladimir Putin. At that time a statement of the Russian Embassy in India highlighted the importance of the Indo-Russian strategic partnership. The embassy said, “President Putin referred to the successful development of special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia and emphasized the importance of safety issues in bilateral relations.”On the occasion of the BRICS meeting, Dowal also held a bilateral meeting with Sergei Shigu, Secretary, Security Council of the Russian Association. The Russian Embassy described India as one of Moscow’s “main similar-ideology partners”, emphasizing the “multi-level trust-based political dialogue” between the two countries.SHOIGU stated that “New Delhi is one of the main similar -ideology partners of Moscow in the world region,” and that the two nations continue to solve global security challenges jointly.While the absence of Ajit Dowal from this week’s Moscow meat is seen as a temporary shock, both sides have indicated continuous cooperation in security and strategic affairs in the near future.
