Russia-South Africa ties developing successfully - Putin

NEW DELHI. Sept 11 (Interfax) - Russia's ties with South Africa are developing successfully, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, noting his constant contact with the South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa and progressing interactions between the two countries' parliaments and foreign ministries.

On Friday Putin arrived in India for a three-day working visit. He met with Ramaphosa on the sidelines of a BRICS summit in New Delhi. At the meeting, Putin mentioned their previous one, on the sidelines of a 2024 BRICS summit in Kazan.

"We are constant contact with you, our teams are in constant contact. Last year we had the pleasure to collate the whole pressing agenda with your vice president, who attended the St. Petersburg economic forum at your behest. The Russia-South Africa ties have been developing successfully," Putin said.

On September 5 the two countries marked the 20th anniversary of their founding document, the Russia-South Africa friendship and partnership agreement signed in 2006, Putin said.

"Our political dialogue, inter-parliamentary ties are progressing, our foreign ministers maintain regular contact [...] Traditionally, we maintain relations in the humanitarian sphere, including in the field of specialist training, in education. Our budget quota for the 2026-27 academic year has been raised to 100 scholarships for your young people in Russia," Putin said.

He also noted the two countries' similar approaches to key international and regional problems.