Celebrating the spirit of Russia in Thiruvananthapuram, that was what the Honorary Consulate of Russia did here the day when the Russia Day was celebrated in a grand manner far away in Russia.
Bringing together a number of dignitaries, the Consulate did more than just celebrate the spirit by organizing a talk on Indo-Russian relations as well. Representative of the Russian Embassy Sergey Belousko, Shashi Tharoor, K. N. Balagopal and A. Sampath, MPs, Thiruvananthapuram Mayor K. Chandrika, Air Marshal Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Air Command, Air Marshal S.P. Singh, former ministers M.A. Baby and Binoy Viswom, filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan – the list of those who were present was long.
Mr. Tharoor, pointing out that though there were several countries with which India had strategic partnerships, said it was Russia who could be called a real time-tested strategic partner. Russia had played a crucial role in India’s development in various aspects as well, he said. Mr. Belousko, stating that the Indo-Russian cooperation not just in the defence sector, but joint research and development too, was a model to all, said the Brahmos missile and fifth generation fighter planes were all classic examples of this cooperation. The use of nuclear power for peaceful purposes by these countries would have a novel example in the form of the Koodankulam power project as well, he added.
Honorary Consul Ratheesh C. Nair presided over.
Keywords: Russia day, Indo-Russian relations, Brahmos missile
