King Arrives In Kazan For Second Segment Of State Visit To Russia
From Noor Farhana Ahmad Norain
KAZAN, Aug 8 (Bernama) -- His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, arrived in Kazan today for the second segment of his state visit to Russia.
The special plane carrying Sultan Ibrahim touched down at the Kazan International Airport at 10.15 am.
Present to welcome His Majesty was the Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov.
Tartastan Deputy Prime Minister and Industry and Trade Minister Oleg Korobchenko and Russian Ambassador to Malaysia Nail Latypov were in attendance.
In a traditional welcoming gesture, three girls in Tatar national costume presented His Majesty with bread and chak-chak – a traditional Tatar dessert.
Earlier today, Sultan Ibrahim was accorded a ceremonial sending-off ceremony at the Vnukovo-2 Airport in Moscow.
This afternoon, the King is expected to receive an audience from Minnikhanov at the Kazan Kremlin Presidential Palace.
Sultan Ibrahim is in Russia for a state visit at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
16 minutes ago
- The Star
India pauses plans to buy US arms after Trump's tariffs
NEW DELHI: New Delhi has put on hold its plans to procure new US weapons and aircraft, according to three Indian officials familiar with the matter, in India's first concrete sign of discontent after tariffs imposed on its exports by President Donald Trump dragged ties to their lowest level in decades. India had been planning to send Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Washington in the coming weeks for an announcement on some of the purchases, but that trip has been cancelled, two of the people said. Trump on Aug. 6 imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods as punishment for Delhi's purchases of Russian oil, which he said meant the country was funding Russia's invasion of Ukraine. That raised the total duty on Indian exports to 50 per cent - among the highest of any US trading partner. The president has a history of rapidly reversing himself on tariffs and India has said it remains actively engaged in discussions with Washington. One of the people said the defence purchases could go ahead once India had clarity on tariffs and the direction of bilateral ties, but "just not as soon as they were expected to." Written instructions had not been given to pause the purchases, another official said, indicating that Delhi had the option to quickly reverse course, though there was "no forward movement at least for now." Post publication of this story, India's government issued a statement it attributed to a Ministry of Defence source describing news reports of a pause in the talks as "false and fabricated." The statement also said procurement was progressing as per "extant procedures." Delhi, which has forged a close partnership with America in recent years, has said it is being unfairly targetted and that Washington and its European allies continue to trade with Moscow when it is in their interest. Reuters is reporting for the first time that discussions on India's purchases of Stryker combat vehicles made by General Dynamics Land Systems and Javelin anti-tank missiles developed by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin have been paused due to the tariffs. Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in February announced plans to pursue procurement and joint production of those items. Rajnath had also been planning to announce the purchase of six Boeing P8I reconnaissance aircraft and support systems for the Indian Navy during his now-cancelled trip, two of the people said. Talks over procuring the aircraft in a proposed US$3.6 billion deal were at an advanced stage, according to the officials. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics referred queries to the Indian and US governments. Raytheon did not return a request for comment. India's deepening security relationship with the US, which is fuelled by their shared strategic rivalry with China, was heralded by many US analysts as one of the key areas of foreign-policy progress in the first Trump administration. Delhi is the world's second-largest arms importer and Russia has traditionally been its top supplier. India has in recent years however, shifted to importing from Western powers like France, Israel and the US, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute think-tank. The shift in suppliers was driven partly by constraints on Russia's ability to export arms, which it is utilising heavily in its invasion of Ukraine. Some Russian weapons have also performed poorly in the battlefield, according to Western analysts. The broader US-India defence partnership, which includes intelligence sharing and joint military exercises, continues without hiccups, one of the Indian officials said. India also remains open to scaling back on oil imports from Russia and is open to making deals elsewhere, including the US, if it can get similar prices, according to two other Indian sources. Trump's threats and rising anti-US nationalism in India have "made it politically difficult for Modi to make the shift from Russia to the US," one of the people said. Nonetheless, discounts on the landing cost of Russian oil have shrunk to the lowest since 2022. India's petroleum ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. While the rupture in US-India ties was abrupt, there have been strains in the relationship. Delhi has repeatedly rebutted Trump's claim that the US brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after four days of fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May. Trump also hosted Pakistan's army chief at the White House in the weeks following the conflict. In recent months, Moscow has been actively pitching Delhi on buying new defence technologies like its S-500 surface-to-air missile system, according to one of the Indian officials, as well as a Russian source familiar with the talks. India currently does not see a need for new arms purchases from Moscow, two Indian officials said. But Delhi is unlikely to wean itself off Russian weapons entirely as the decades-long partnership between the two powers means Indian military systems will continue to require Moscow's support, one of the officials said. The Russian embassy in Delhi did not immediately respond to a request for comment. - Reuters
Malay Mail
16 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Sultan Ibrahim hopes Kazan visit will boost Malaysia-Tatarstan ties in trade, education and tourism
KAZAN, Aug 9 — His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, expressed hope that his visit to Kazan would inspire stronger ties between Malaysia and the Russian republic of Tatarstan. In his address when receiving an audience from the Rais of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, at the Kazan Kremlin Presidential Palace here yesterday, Sultan Ibrahim said he was pleased with the growing engagements between the peoples of Malaysia and Tatarstan in economic, institutional and cultural cooperation. 'We hold your leadership in the Strategic Vision Group 'Russia-lslamic World' in the highest regard. It stands as a testament to your dedication to the advancement of the Muslim ummah,' said His Majesty. Looking ahead, Sultan Ibrahim highlighted significant potential for enhanced collaboration in sectors such as petrochemicals, innovation, Islamic finance and the halal industry. 'I also take pleasure in witnessing the expansion of academic exchanges between our institutions of higher learning,' said His Majesty. The King noted that Malaysian and Russian universities, including several in Kazan, have developed strong partnerships, including joint research in emerging fields such as engineering, energy and computer science. 'I commend the ongoing collaboration between Kazan Federal University and Kazan National Research Technological University with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, located in my state, Johor,' said Sultan Ibrahim. His Majesty also said that the prospect of resuming direct air connectivity between Russia and Malaysia has been encouraging, which would open new avenues for tourism, commerce, and enhance people-to-people exchanges. 'I hope to see more students and tourists from Tatarstan choosing Malaysia as their preferred destination,' he said. In the meantime, Sultan Ibrahim expressed his joy at renewing his close friendship with Minnikhanov at the historical landmark of the Kazan Kremlin. 'Rakh-mat – your generosity and warmth will long be remembered,' he said. Prior to the meeting, His Majesty was warmly welcomed by Minnikhanov at the Kazan Kremlin, followed by a photo session against the scenic backdrop of the Volga River. The audience was followed by a reception hosted by Minnikhanov in honour of His Majesty at the Banquet Hall of the palace. Kazan is the capital of Tatarstan, one of Russia's most prominent autonomous republics, known for its cultural diversity and Muslim-majority population. Sultan Ibrahim arrived in Kazan this morning for the second segment of his state visit to Russia at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin. — Bernama
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Malaysia eyes RM13 billion investment target at Expo 2025 Osaka
OSAKA: Malaysia remains confident of hitting its RM13 billion investment target through participation in Expo 2025 Osaka, according to Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. Speaking at the Malaysia Pavilion, Tengku Zafrul revealed that potential investments and trade deals worth RM11.2 billion have already been recorded. He stated, 'So far, I have been informed that we have reached potential investment and trade of RM11.2 billion. Hopefully, we can meet the target. Not too far away.' Key sectors attracting investments include green technology, halal industries, renewable energy, bioeconomy, and the digital economy. The minister highlighted that Sarawak Week at the expo saw Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan witnessing multiple MoUs and one agreement. Visitor numbers at the Malaysia Pavilion have surpassed expectations, with over 2.2 million attendees as of last week, well above the initial 1.5 million target. Tengku Zafrul noted the popularity of roti canai, which sells 1,500 pieces daily at over RM50 each, alongside performances that captivate international guests. On Malaysia's potential participation in Expo 2030 Riyadh, he said an official invitation must first be reviewed by the Cabinet before a decision is made. He added, 'We had a meeting at the pavilion of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where they presented their plans for the World Expo 2030 in Riyadh.' Twenty-five Malaysian firms are already exploring opportunities to contribute to Expo 2030's construction and services. Tengku Zafrul confirmed, 'They mentioned being open to supporting the construction of the World Expo.' - Bernama
