Putin, Singh talk up Russia-India ties
MOSCOW (AFP) — Arms and energy were on the agenda Monday as Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin to buttress ties between the veteran allies.
The talks were part of a two-day visit by Singh to buttress the relationship between the two powers, which hope to more than double trade volumes.
"Our relations have a long history and today are developing in the best way possible," Putin was quoted as saying at the opening of the meeting by Russian news agencies.
"For us, friendship with Russia has passed the test of time," Singh replied.
India was a key ally of the former Soviet Union in the Cold War era.
New Delhi is expected to make a bid for an increased share of Russia's oil and gas exports as Russia fights to retain its position as India's top arms supplier amid Western competition, and dissatisfaction with delays in Russian deliveries.
In a statement released ahead of the talks, the Russian presidential administration said the two sides would work on intensifying the country's "strategic partnership" on international relations, with a particular focus on the Middle East.
The two sides aim to boost bilateral trade to 10 billion dollars (6.8 billion euros) a year by 2010 from four billion dollars in 2006, the Kremlin said.
Trade between Russia and India has long been dominated by Indian military spending.
Russia accounts for 70 percent of Indian military hardware while India currently accounts for 30 percent of Russian arms sales, Interfax reported, citing Russian officials.
"Russia is India's most important partner in defence," Singh said in an interview with the RIA Novosti news agency ahead of the visit.
Business daily Vedomosti on Monday reported that Russian arms export agency Rosoboronexport could soon sign a contract for 450 million dollars to buy 80 Mi-17 helicopters.
An official with Russian plane maker MiG said Monday that the company hoped to secure a deal to sell India 126 new-generation fighter jets, RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Interfax news agency, meanwhile, reported that the two would sign agreements for the joint development of the Ilyushin 214 military transport plane.
Indian investment in Russia's oil and gas resources will also a key area for discussion, as well as nuclear cooperation, the Kremlin statement said.
The leaders were expected to ink deals to build four more Russian nuclear reactors in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Under an existing deal, Russia has agreed to install two reactors in Tamil Nadu with a capacity to produce 1,000 megawatts of atomic energy a day.
However a news report said Sunday that the deal on atomic reactors may not be signed during Singh's visit because nuclear trade with India is still banned as it has refused to sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
New Delhi is currently vying for approval from the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group for a contentious nuclear deal with the United States under which it can get nuclear fuel and technology.
