Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (right) and India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar exchange documents following their talks in Moscow, Russia, Dec 27, 2023. (POOL PHOTO VIA AP)

MOSCOW - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar discussed bilateral cooperation during their meeting on Wednesday.

"We discussed prospects for military-technical cooperation, including the joint production of modern weapons," the Russian foreign minister said, adding that cooperation in this field "corresponds to the national interests of both countries," and will help maintain security on the Eurasian continent.

Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar noted that bilateral trade between Russia and India was currently at its highest level, and is expected to surpass $50 billion this year

He said that Russia and India agreed to further deepen trade, economic, and investment ties, adding that relations between both countries are built on trust and mutual respect, and are not subject to any external influences.

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Jaishankar in turn noted that bilateral trade between Russia and India was currently at its highest level, and is expected to surpass $50 billion this year.

The Russian foreign minister said that both countries discussed energy cooperation, specifically with regard to hydrocarbon exports and peaceful use of nuclear energy.

The two ministers also discussed interaction on multilateral platforms, including joint efforts within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS.

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Following the organization's expansion, the total GDP of the BRICS countries will exceed that of the G7 nations, Lavrov noted, adding that the West had greatly undermined its credibility, and this further proves that it is necessary "to rely on the role of the global majority" in developing the world economy.