Earlier in the day, Shoigu held a bilateral meeting with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on the sidelines of the meeting of high representatives of the BRICS and BRICS+ countries in charge of security issues.
"Our relations are characterized by mutual respect, taking into account each other's interests, and are not subject to international conjuncture. New Delhi is one of Moscow's main allies on the world stage, a friendship that has confidently stood the test of time," Shoigu noted.
"Currently, a multi-level trustful political dialogue is effectively functioning between Russia and India, and it is based on regular contacts between our heads of state," Shoigu added.
He also underscored that both the countries were grappling with challenges of the 21st century.