Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways  Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday (13 September 2023) met the Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic,  A.O. Chekunkov at the Pavilion of Kamchatka Territory, “Far East Street” in Vladivostok of  Russia . During the meeting, both leaders discussed a wide range of items of maritime communication to widen maritime cooperation including the possibility of usage of new transport corridors like the Northern Sea Route (NSR) as well as the Eastern Maritime Corridor (EMC) between Vladivostok and Chennai. It was also decided that India and Russia agreed to train Indian seafarers in Polar and Arctic waters at the Russian Maritime Training Institute which is equipped with simulator training facilities, in Vladivostok, Russia.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister Sonowal said that the relationship between Russia and India has deep historical roots and is based on mutual respect and shared interests. He said, we remain committed to maintaining strong ties and fostering strategic cooperation across various sectors.