Visit to the Volgograd region of a delegation of the Embassy of India, 25 - 27 November 2014

At the invitation of the Regional Government, the Ambassador of India to the Russian Federation visited Volgograd from November 25 to 27, 2014. He was accompanied by Embassy officials and representatives from the Indian business Community in Moscow.

The delegation was warmly received by the regional authorities who arranged a multi-faceted programme. At the meeting with H.E. Mr Andrei Bocharov, Governor of the Volgogard region, the two sides highlighted the long-standing friendship and mutual trust between India and Russia and the enormous potential to intensify cooperation between Volgograd and India with emphasis on economic, commercial, cultural and educational areas. Ambassador extended an invitation to Governor Bocharov to visit India along with a business delegation and invited Volgograd Region to make a presentation of the region’s economic and business potential to the Indian business community in Moscow at the Embassy of India.

The delegation met with Mr Andrey Kosolapov, Mayor of the City of Volgograd. They agreed to work for the re-invigoration the sister-city relations established in 1969 between Volgograd and Chennai. Mr Kosolapov invited the city of Chennai to participate in the Sister-City Park project in the city of Volgograd.

An interaction with the business community of the Volgograd region was organized by the Chamber of Commerce of the Volgograd region in collaboration with the Regional Ministry of Economic Development. Indian and Russian companies made presentations during the event which was attended by businesspersons from different sectors including banking, IT, chemicals, engineering, hydrocarbons, automobile, agriculture and food processing sectors.

The Indian delegation also met with the Council of Rectors to discuss various modalities of cooperation in the education sector covering medical, technical, agriculture, humanities, social and pedagogical disciplines. During Ambassador’s interaction with Dr Vladimir Petrov, Chancellor of the Volgograd State Medical University and Chairman of the Council of Rectors, both sides agreed that there is considerable potential for cooperation in the field of science and technology with emphasis on joint research projects and student and faculty exchange programmes.

Ambassador also interacted with about 375 Indian students from the Volgograd State Medical University.

The delegation visited the Volgogard State University and interacted with the faculty of the university. Ambassador addressed the students of the International Relations department and provided an overview of India-Russia relations.

Ambassador and Mrs Barabara Raghavan hosted a reception which was attended by a wide cross-section of Volgograd society, including government, academicians, businesspersons and members of the Indian business and student community.

The delegation visited the Volzhky Abrasive Works (VAW), in which the Murugappan Group of India has majority shareholding. VAW is an industry leader in grinding materials and abrasive tools and the largest manufacturer of Silicon Carbide in Europe. It is an example of successful India-Russia economic partnership in investments. In his remarks at the reception, Ambassador Raghavan expressed the confidence that this example would inspire more Indian and Russian companies to explore joint collaboration opportunities.