Gandhinagar, May 20 (IANS) Gujarat and Russia’s Astrakhan region have agreed to strengthen cooperation in sectors, including trade, education, shipbuilding, transport and logistics, following a virtual meeting between Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Astrakhan Governor Igor Babushkin on Wednesday.

The discussions focused on expanding an existing partnership between Gujarat and the Russian region, which dates back to a protocol cooperation agreement signed in 2001 and currently valid until November 6, 2026.

According to the state government, both sides agreed to advance collaboration in trade, educational exchanges and shipbuilding.

Chief Minister Patel also expressed Gujarat’s willingness to cooperate in transport and logistics as part of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) project and highlighted opportunities in the state’s shipbuilding sector.

The meeting also reviewed earlier agreements initiated during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister in 2003.

Those agreements covered cooperation in oil and gas, shipbuilding, food industries, fisheries, medicines and pharmaceuticals, along with understandings related to education, human resource development and cultural exchange.

Officials said the virtual meeting included discussions on enhancing institutional ties between universities in Astrakhan and Gujarat.

These proposals were previously discussed during a virtual interaction in February with Astrakhan’s Minister of Foreign Relations, Vladimir Golovkov.

Areas under consideration include investment in Astrakhan’s Special Economic Zone and memorandum of understanding agreements involving Gujarat’s agriculture, energy and medical universities.

The two sides also discussed academic collaboration with maritime institutions through the exchange of maritime transport-related courses.

Cultural exchanges between Gujarat and Astrakhan were also part of the discussions, with both regions extending invitations for reciprocal delegations.

Senior state government officials were also present during the meeting.

–IANS

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