1 / 2

On March 2, in New Delhi the Vice President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, the Head of Armenia-India Friendship Group Hakob Arshakyan within the framework of the 8^th Edition of Raisina Dialogue 2023 Conference met with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha (Parliament) of the Republic of India Shri Om Birla.

The NA Vice President thanked Shri Om Birla for warmly receiving and hosting the delegation led by him. He noted that this Conference is a wonderful opportunity for holding bilateral meetings and discussing mutually concerning issues. Armenia highlights the bilateral and multi-lateral cooperation with India. The NA Vice President documented with satisfaction that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, during the last 30 years numerous mutual official and working visits took place, which testifies to the high level of friendly relations existing between two countries.

Hakob Arshakyan touched upon the Azerbaijani aggression that that country grossly violated the assumed obligations by itself with trilateral statement of November 9, 2020 and closed the Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh with the outside world. The security of 120.000 Armenians appeared under direct threat, the supply of food and other goods of basic necessity and energy carriers to Artsakh. He noted that Armenia appreciates the statement made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India, where it underscores that the Azerbaijani armed forces should withdraw from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and emphasizes the condemnation voiced by the Indian side on the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against Armenia last September and the blockade of the Lachin Corridor from December 2022.

The NA Vice President mentioned that from May 12, 2021 the Azerbaijani armed forces three times violated the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia and illegally invaded the sovereign territory of Armenia.

Welcoming the RA NA Delegation, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha (Parliament) of the Republic of India Shri Om Birla noted that he highlights to the deepening of the friendly ties existing between two parliaments and underscored that such visits and bilateral contacts boost the cooperation and promote the development of the relations between the two countries in different formats.

The Speaker of Parliament of India expressed his solidarity and support to the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian people in overcoming the existing challenges.

Hakob Arshakyan underlined that he attaches special importance to the development and strengthening of the inter-parliamentary relations between Armenia and India. The Parliament Deputy Speaker mentioned that Armenia-India Friendship Group led by him functions in the RA National Assembly and stressed that the formation of the Friendship Group with Armenia also would be wonderful in Parliament of India, which will create great opportunity for active and close cooperation.

Armenia is concerned about the development of mutually beneficial collaboration with friendly India in different fields, including trade, transport and communication, defense, health, agriculture, culture, science and education, information and high technologies, tourism, etc.

At the end of the meeting the Speaker of Parliament of India expressed hope that he will host the delegation led by the NA President of Armenia in New Delhi.

Hakob Arshakyan conveyed the Speaker of legislative body of India the RA NA President’s invitation to visit Armenia.

The sides also discussed other issues of bilateral interest.

The members of Armenia-India Friendship Group Aren Mkrtchyan and Tsovinar Vardanyan, the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to India Youri Babakhanian also took part in the meeting.