Moscow, April 17 (IANS): India's newly-appointed Ambassador to Russia, Vinay Kumar paid a courtesy call to the country's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday besides also meeting Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrey Rudenko to discuss the 'Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership' between the two countries.

"Ambassador Vinay Kumar paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister H.E. Mr. Sergey Lavrov; they discussed contemporary regional and global issues and upcoming high level bilateral exchanges which would further strengthen the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership," the Indian embassy in Moscow posted on X.

The Russian Foreign Ministry detailed that Ambassador Kumar and Rudenko also discussed current issues of bilateral relations, as well as the schedule of upcoming foreign policy contacts.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled Russian President Vladimir Putin, congratulating him on his re-election as both leaders reviewed progress in various issues of bilateral cooperation, and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

PM Modi had conveyed his best wishes for "peace, progress and prosperity of the friendly people of Russia" with the two leaders agreeing to make "concerted efforts" towards further strengthening the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries in the years to come.