Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Russian Prime Minister Vladmir Putin met on Friday & dialogue on various issues. They have signed a dozen agreements worth over $10 billion. Agreements focused on improving cooperation in nuclear power, space technology and defense. A joint venture in setting up of nuclear energy plants are also in their agreements. As per agreement, Russia plans to commission the first reactor this year at the Kudankulam nuclear power plant,
Mr. Putin accompanied with 15-member delegation in conference with Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore based business tycoons & emphasized the importance of business relations between the two countries.
The two countries also upgraded their nuclear co-operation with Russia pledging to build up to 16 nuclear reactors for power stations in India.
Russian Prime Minister Putin said that keeping “in mind the concerns of our Indian friends”, Russia would not enter into defence deals and military co-operation with Pakistan.
The deal for the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov was pending for the last three years, also signed, and it is worth $2.34billion. 14 other supplementary agreements also signed on technical issues.
As per agreement signed on upgraded their nuclear energy partnership, 16 Russian nuclear reactors will be construct at three different sites in India.
an agreement on Protocol of Cooperation was signed between ONGC and Russia’s Gazprom. A MoU was signed between ISRO and Russia’s Federal Space Agency and JSC Navigation Information Systems for production of Satellite Navigation Equipment and Services for Civil Users.
Two pacts were signed in the field of fertilisers and five pacts in diamond sector.
Mr. Manmohan Singh said on Mr. Putin’s visit, “Rich and very substantive & a key pillar of our foreign policy and we regard Russia as a trusted and reliable strategic partner. Ours is a relationship that not only stands independent of any other but whose significance has grown over time.”