Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday held talks with visiting National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval in Moscow on wide-ranging bilateral and regional issues.

”NSA Ajit Doval called on HE President Putin. Wide-ranging discussion on bilateral and regional issues. Agreed to continue work towards implementing the India-Russia strategic partnership,” the Indian Embassy in Moscow tweeted.

Doval was in Moscow to participate in the fifth multilateral security dialogue on Afghanistan. Significance is being attached to his talks with the Russian leader, who took time off his busy schedule to meet the trusted lieutenant of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of changing geopolitical scenario in the region.

Doval is understood to have told President Putin that India favoured an inclusive and representative government in Afghanistan while emphatically stating that India would never abandon the people of the war-torn country in their hour of need.

The multilateral dialogue on Afghanistan was attended by representatives in charge of security issues from India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Issues of international security were discussed with an emphasis on resolving the situation in Afghanistan. ”The importance of fulfilling the international obligations assumed by the current Kabul authorities to counter terrorism and extremism, drug trafficking, as well as to form an ethnic-politically balanced government and to respect human rights was noted,” a statement from the Russian Security Council said today.

At the meeting, a number of additional practical measures were proposed aimed at expanding joint actions in counterterrorism, as well as at cutting off channels for financing terrorism, intensifying cooperation in combating transnational organized crime, illegal arms and drug trafficking, as well as preventing illegal migration.

The significance of joining efforts in solving complex problems in the area of security, continuing a constructive dialogue and finding efficient solutions that are adequate to the challenges and threats emanating from the territory of Afghanistan was underscored.

It was agreed to continue the practice of holding multilateral consultations of the Secretaries of Security Councils on Afghanistan on an annual basis.