Russia a time tested friend of India: Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said Russia is a ?time tested friend? of India and that the countries will strengthen cooperation in defence and nuclear fields.
India and Russia on Tuesday signed 30 agreements, including on oil and gas sector and pacts on nuclear energy cooperation. Russia also supported India’s role in Afghanistan and backed its bid for permanent UNSC membership.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is visiting India and the highlight is a $30bn agreement for the development of a “fifth generation” stealth fighter jet.
?I am delighted to welcome His Excellency President Medvedev to India for the 11th India ? Russia Annual Summit. Our Summit this year marks the completion of ten years of the India-Russia Strategic Partnership,? Singh said at the joint press interaction with Russian President.
?Russia is a time tested friend of India that has stood by us in our times of need in the past. Ours is a special and privileged strategic partnership. It is a partnership that has and will continue to develop independent of our relations with other countries,? said Singh.
Singh said the two countries will work together to strengthen ties in defence and nuclear fields.
?Our talks have been comprehensive and result oriented. We have signed several important agreements covering a large number of sectors. This reflects our mutual desire to bring our cooperation in other areas at par with our traditionally strong cooperation in the defence and nuclear fields,? said the PM after meeting Medvedev.
?I am particularly glad that we have concluded an inter-governmental agreement on cooperation in the oil and gas sector. This is the result of a lot of hard work put in by both sides, and reflects the complementarities between our two economies. We will work towards its implementation through a mutually agreed roadmap.?
Singh said India welcomes the increasing role being played by the India-Russia Forum on Trade and Investment and the CEOs Council.
?We have signed agreements in the pharmaceuticals and information technology sectors. These are areas which have immense possibilities for expansion. The agreement on visa simplification that has been signed will help in ease of travel of citizens of our countries. We have also decided to enhance cultural exchanges,? he said.
India also renewed its Integrated Long Term Technology Programme with Russia.
?Long before other countries it was Russia which helped us in the development of our scientific and industrial base. I am therefore happy that we have renewed the Integrated Long Term Technology Programme with a mandate to establish an innovation based technology partnership.?
Singh said: ?In the field of defence cooperation, we reviewed the ongoing projects, including those relating to joint design, development and production.?
?Discussions have progressed on the construction of additional Russian designed nuclear reactors at Kudankulam, and we have signed an agreement to broaden scientific and technical cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.?
Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power station currently under construction in Kudankulam in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.
Singh said India and Russia agreed to intensify their consultations on Afghanistan.
?We also reviewed the situation in our region and ways and means to further strengthen our coordination on international issues. We have agreed to intensify our consultations on Afghanistan.?
?We look forward to working with Russia in the United Nations Security Council during our term over the next two years. We will work closely within the BRIC and G20 framework,? said the PM.