In a major boost to strategic ties, India and Russia on Thursday decided to expand cooperation across various sectors as they signed 16 pacts, including deals on joint manufacture of 226 military helicopters and construction of 12 atomic plants with involvement of local companies in India.
After extensive talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined the need for the world to unite against terrorism “without distinction and discrimination between terrorist groups and target countries”, an apparent reference to sources of the menace like Pakistan.
Mr. Putin conveyed Russia’s “strong support” to India’s bid for permanent membership of the UN Security Council, saying it is a “deserving and a strong candidate ”.
'Russia has been with us in hard times'
Russia is a strong and reliable friend of India and both countries have a “truly strategic” partnership, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday told President Vladimir Putin at the annual summit talks as the two sides negotiated major deals in defence, energy and other key areas.
Mr. Modi, who is on a two-day visit here, conveyed to Mr. Putin that their summit talks would give a fresh impetus to the bilateral relations as it would provide “new energy” to further strengthen ties.
As part of the 16th annual India-Russia Summit, Mr. Modi and Mr. Putin held a one-on-one meeting before they were joined by their delegations. The two sides continued their deliberations over lunch at the Kremlin.
“India and Russia have a long history of cultural relations. And now we have a strong and reliable friend on the political and international arena — Russia. Russia has always been with us in hard times. We have a strategic partnership, a true strategic partnership,” the Prime Minister said.
Mr. Putin, in his opening remarks, said: “I am pleased to note, and I am happy to do that, that we are consistently and confidently developing the privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia.”
