The first destination on the itinerary was the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) in Belagavi, where the Russian delegation met on February 12 with VTU Vice Chancellor, Prof. S. Vidyashankar. At this meeting a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between our organizations was signed. The key areas for the cooperation will be integrated management of water resources and adaptation of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to climate change.

The guests also met with Belagavi city officials and visited the waterbodies which Indian colleagues would like to conserve and develop with the assistance of Karelian scientists.
At the conference “Technological Interventions for Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Environment” held on February 13-14 the Russian participants made presentations about KarRC RAS activities, development of international relations, management of water resources and conservation of water ecosystems in Karelia, and the impact of geological transformations on climate change.
It is worth noting that the venue for the conference was VTU’s partner institution, Angadi Institute of Technology and Management, which hosted an international event for the first time and has ambitions to develop, in particular through integration into the BRICS green agenda.

In conclusion of the visit, KarRC RAS leader Olga Bakhmet invited Indian colleagues to the upcoming international conference on the development of the BRICS environmental cooperation. The conference is scheduled for September 2026 and will be dedicated to the 80th anniversary since the foundation of the KarRC RAS.




