(VOVworld) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday issued a joint statement after talks in Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Indian PM Narendra Modi

According to the statement, Russia and India staunchly support Syria’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.

Both sides agreed that the conflict in Syria cannot be resolved by force and can be settled only by political and diplomatic means - through substantive intra-Syrian dialogue without any preliminary conditions or external interference and on the basis of the Geneva Communique of June 30, 2012, the Joint Statement on results of multilateral talks on Syria in Vienna of October 30, 2015, and a statement of the International Syria Support Group adopted on November 14, 2015.

Russia and India voiced resolute support for the people and government of Iraq in their efforts to overcome the current crisis and defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The leaders of Russia and India welcomed progress achieved in security including honoring the ceasefire in southeast Ukraine and the signing an agreement on light weapons withdrawal from frontlines with separatists in eastern Ukraine.