India, Russia sign nuclear agreements

India and Russia on Tuesday signed 30 agreements, including on oil and gas sector and pacts on nuclear energy, defence and space 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.

Russia would support India’s nuclear power plant in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu where the two nations jointly would build the third and fourth generating units (reactors) for the plant.

Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power station currently under construction in Kudankulam in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the talks with the Russian president were result oriented and they have agreed to intensify cooperation in defence and nuclear energy sectors.

They reviewed ongoing defence projects.

PM Singh and President Medvedev said they are both victims of terrorism and they are cooperating in information and intelligence sharing and working together in counter terrorism.

Russian President invited the Prime Minister to visit his country in 2011.