MOSCOW, Monday, July 7, 2025 (WNP): A high-level dialogue was held between the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ICCA RAS) in a significant step toward strengthening academic and strategic ties between Pakistan and Russia.

Hosted at ICCA-RAS headquarters in Moscow, the meeting brought together prominent scholars and experts from both institutions.

Representing the Russian side were Prof. Kirill Babaev, Director of ICCA-RAS; Dr. Dmitry Novikov, Head of the Center for Central Asian Studies; Deputy Head and Research Fellow Ms. Alexandra Perminova; and Research Fellow Ms. Larisa Shashok. The ISSI delegation was led by Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Director General of ISSI, alongside Mr. Jetha Nand, Second Secretary at the Embassy of Pakistan in Moscow.

The wide-ranging discussions focused on regional and global geopolitical shifts, evolving security dynamics, and potential areas for enhanced cooperation across political, economic, humanitarian, and strategic sectors. The dialogue also explored prospects for multilateral collaboration and sustainable development within the broader Eurasian framework.

This engagement builds upon the institutional partnership established in April 2025, when ISSI and ICCA-RAS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Islamabad aimed at fostering joint research, academic exchanges, and collaborative dialogue on pressing global and regional issues.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening long-term cooperation and contributing meaningfully to the growing and multifaceted Pakistan–Russia partnership.