‘Aim to elevate cooperation with India’: Putin ahead of visit to New Delhi

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow aims to “elevate cooperation” with India and China to a “qualitatively new level.”

Putin’s remarks come ahead of his visit to India from December 4-5 for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking at an investment forum in Moscow on Tuesday, Putin said that the objective of the numerous joint projects in energy, industry, space, agriculture, and other sectors is to elevate the ties with Beijing and New Delhi.

“We aim to elevate cooperation with the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of India to a qualitatively new level by strengthening its technological component. This is the objective of numerous joint projects in energy, industry, space, agriculture, and other sectors,” he said.

Putin further said that he has established substantive dialogue on economic issues with Chinese President Xi Jinping and look to continue the same with PM Modi during his visit.

“We have established a substantive dialogue on economic issues with the President of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Xi Jinping. We will also discuss these topics in detail during the upcoming visit to India with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including increasing imports of Indian goods to our market,” he said.

During his India visit, Putin will attend the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit and hold talks with PM Modi.

Earlier, Kremlin Spokesperson Dimitry Peskov said that the sale of additional S-400 long-range anti-aircraft missiles could be on the agenda during the visit.

“Highly on the agenda and this could be discussed. Our military industry is working pretty well. Russian arms 36 % in Indian armed forces and hopefully will continue,” Peskov said.

Russia also hopes to discuss the possibility of India acquiring the Su-57 fifth-generation stealth fighter.

“SU- 57 is the best plane in the world. SU57 will be on the agenda,” said Peskov

“As far as our cooperation in the defence industry goes, let’s remember famous Brahmos missiles. It’s not only just production or it’s not only acts of buying or selling, it’s exchange of high technologies, and it really paves the way for a bright future in this field of cooperation. We’re developing quite, quite a variety of very complicated systems. And in this sense, of course, we have capabilities. We are ready to share this with our Indian friends, our experience,” he added.

Kremlin Spokesperson Peskov also said that there was the possibility of an agreement on Nuclear energy between India and Russia during the President’s vsit.

“There will be an offer for small reactor. Russia possess important tech small and flexible reactor. Russia has real experience in producing small reactors. We’re exchanging mutual investments, joint investments and it makes this kind of cooperation even more valuable for our countries, in terms for securing future of this country. We were deeply involved in creating a sector of peaceful nuclear energy in India, in Kudankulam, and so we were hoping for the continuation of this project,” Peskov said. (ANI)