Russia-India privileged strategic partnership will develop

MOSCOW, December 25. /TASS/. Russia and India are consistently and confidently developing the privileged strategic partnership, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday at the talks in Moscow with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Putin stressed that the Russian-Indian relations are developing in all the areas - in international politics, economy and humanitarian sphere. Strategic partnership Opening talks in the Kremlin, the Russian leader said Modi’s visit is very timely. "I am pleased to note, and I am happy to do that, that we are consistently and confidently developing the privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia," he said. The sides discussed a whole range of the Russian-Indian cooperation and also international issues. "It is important Russia and India make similar approaches to key international problems. Our countries are for a political settlement of the conflict in Syria and promotion of national reconciliation in Afghanistan," Putin told reporters after talks. "We are certain that it is in the interests of the world community to form a wide anti-terrorist coalition operating on the basis of international law and under the auspices of the United Nations," Putin said. The Russian leader said that Moscow would like to see India’s still greater role in addressing global and regional issues. "We believe that India is a great power that conducts a balanced and responsible foreign policy and is one of the most worthy candidates for taking the seat of a permanent member on the UN Security Council," Putin said. He recalled that Moscow had "strongly supported India’s accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and that the two countries were actively cooperating within the BRICS group (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), where India will take the rotating presidency in February 2016. India’s prime minister called Russia "a very important partner in India’s economic transformation and creation of a balanced stable multipolar world." He also said Russia and India have long cultural relations and now the countries have stepped up cooperation in the international and political arenas. The Indian premier said he considers Russia as a reliable friend that supported India during the difficult time and the country seeks further strategic partnership with Moscow. Russia and India have confirmed the intention to expand military-technical cooperation, the joint statement of Russian and Indian leaders says. Business cooperation During Modi’s visit to Russia the two leaders met with businessmen. Russia is keen on Indian production sites being established here more actively, Putin said. "We’re interested in Indian production sites being established by our Indian partners in Russia more actively," the president said, adding that Russia shares "our partners’ serious attitude for long-term positive work in Russia." "We’ll be doing our best for making it comfortable for them to develop their business here," he said. Modi invited the Russian business to invest in India more actively. He also proposed holding meetings with the Russian and Indian entrepreneurs on a regular basis. Documents A package of 15 documents was signed at talks of the leaders, including two protocols on changes to agreements on easing conditions for mutual trips of certain categories of citizens of the two countries and on mutual trips of holders of diplomatic and service passports. The sides also signed four agreements, including on cooperation in helicopter engineering and an agreement confirming the end of the first stage of preparation for setting up a joint venture on the base of JSC Vankorneft. Six memorandums were also inked. In particular, the parties signed a memo of understanding in the field of investment cooperation on Russia’s Far East, a memo of understanding between Russian Railways and India’s Ministry of Railways, a memo of understanding on cooperation in the field of geological exploration and production hydrocarbons on land and on the continental shelf of Russia. Nuclear cooperation The sides also paid great attention to the Russian-Indian cooperation in the nuclear energy sphere. Putin said Russia plans to build several nuclear power generating units in India. "Russia assists in building several generating units at the Kudankulam nuclear plant," he said, recalling that the first unit there was commissioned in June 2014 and the second unit was to come on stream in several weeks. "Russian specialists plan to get down to building power units No. 3 and No. 4 there shortly and talks on building units No. 5 and No. 6 are underway," he said. India has allotted one more ground for a nuclear power plant of Russian design, Putin said. The Indian premier stressed that India sees Russia as a source of its energy security. Anti-terrorism fight, Syria, Ukraine The joint statement adopted during the Indian prime minister’s official visit to Russia focused on a whole range of international issues. Russia and India believe the fight against terrorism is only possible if the entire global community joins efforts without selectiveness and double standards, the document reads. The sides also expressed confidence that prevention of terrorism, including by means of effective termination of spreading terrorist propaganda and extremist ideas, is an important aspect of counteraction to terrorism. The sides called to once and for all do away with ‘safe havens’ of terrorists, as well as to complete as soon as possible the negotiating process to work out a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. Russia and India have voiced staunch support for Syria’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, Putin and Modi said. The sides agreed that the internal armed conflict in Syria cannot be resolved by force and can be settled only by political and diplomatic means. Russia and India voiced resolute and decisive support for the people and government of Iraq in their efforts to overcome the current crisis and defend the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Russian and Indian leaders said in their joint statement stressing the importance of reaching national reconciliation and unity in Iraq by forming an inclusive state system and strengthening national democratic institutions by creation of relevant opportunities. The Ukrainian conflict was also mentioned in the joint statement. Russia and India welcome progress reached in security sphere, including adherence to a ceasefire in southeastern Ukraine, as well as the signing of an agreement to pull out military hardware and artillery of a caliber less than 100 mm from the contact line. This creates favorable conditions for progress in political settlement, which has no alternative, while reconciliation of the sides is possible only in a direct inclusive dialogue, the document says. Read more