In the end of February 2021, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of India in Russia, His Excellence Venkatesh Varma, visited the Volgograd region. Why did our region spark the interest of the eminent guest, and what might the results of it be for Volgograd?

During the pandemic year 2020, the Volgograd region and the Republic of India wasted no time: the region had twice raised their exportation volume to India and thus increased its turnover by 77.4%, after which India was ranked 12^th in the list of the countries with which our region is most actively contacting in the economic sphere.

Among the reasons of the Volgograd region's such popularity with the orient partner, as remarked by the Indian Ambassador, is the notable level of the region's economic development – especially in the area of agriculture and industry. A contribution to the latter was made by Indian investors themselves: in the satellite city of Volzhsky, there is a large abrasive enterprise built as a part of the Murugappa Group Indian conglomerate.

Apart from that, the transportation system of the Volgograd region, including the Volga-Don canal and its railroad, are part of the "North – South" international corridor, which is connecting Saint Petersburg with the richest Indian port of Bombay through the territory of Iran and Russia.

Last but not the least, the community of the Indian students taking their education in Volgograd universities is one of the most active and closely bound in the city.

Volgograd is also connected with India on the intermunicipal level: another city port – Chennai, previously known as Madras, got twinned with us in the middle of the 20^th century. The Russian Center of Science and Culture located in its territory has assisted several Volgograd music bands in planning their tour across the Tamil Nadu State, and in 2019, an artist from Chennai took part in the "Creation of Peace" art residence organized by the Institute of Regional Economic and Social Project Management within the frame of the festival "Excuse me, have you seen Mr. Losev?"

The assistance of the Indian Ambassador can give a new development impulse to the cooperation between the two sister-cities.