NEW DELHI, India (TASS) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in India for talks with the country’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Both leaders are expected to exchange views on pressing global issues, including joint work within the G20 group, BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Asia-Pacific region and Afghanistan. Putin himself said earlier that new major initiatives concerning the development of “special privileged relations, strategic partnership between Russia and India” would be on the agenda.
The two countries’ delegations have been reduced due to the coronavirus pandemic. Russia will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov and CEO of the Rosneft oil giant Igor Sechin.
Putin and Modi will make statements for the media at the beginning of their meeting. A package of about ten agreements in various fields is expected to be signed.
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Putin-Modi talks lasted for 3.5 hours
The two leaders discussed bilateral relations, including joint efforts within the G20, BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the struggle with terrorism and Afghanistan
NEW DELHI, India (TASS) — Russian President Vladimir Putin’s talks with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi lasted for 3.5 hours.
The two leaders discussed bilateral relations, including joint efforts within the G20, BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the struggle with terrorism and Afghanistan.
Before the meeting, Putin said that Russia saw India as a great power with a friendly people and thanked Modi for his invitation. The Russian president spoke highly of bilateral cooperation in the economy, investment, energy, high, technology, space and other spheres. Putin stressed Russia’s intention to develop military cooperation with India.
For his part, Modi said that the pandemic had failed to slow down the pace of bilateral relations. He spoke highly of the efforts being exerted by Russia and India to resist the coronavirus infection, be it the testing of vaccines, their production or humanitarian assistance.
It was the first Putin-Modi meeting since 2019. The previous one took place in September 2019 when the Indian prime minister visited Vladivostok. A short while later, in November 2019 the two leaders met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Brasilia.
Talks on Sputnik Light production in India close to completion, says Lavrov
NEW DELHI, India (TASS) – The talks on the production of the Russian anti-coronavirus jab Sputnik Light in India are nearing completion, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters following the talks with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and the Russia-India consultations in the 2+2 format between the two countries’ defense and foreign ministers on Monday.
“The talks on Sputnik Light are nearing completion,” he said when asked a respective question.
The agreement on the production of the two-component vaccine Sputnik V in the republic is also being implemented, the minister added. “Quite a large scale is expected – around hundred million doses each year,” he said.
In mid-September, a committee of experts under the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) issued a permit for intermediate tests of the third (final) stage of Sputnik Light studies in India. Once approved, Sputnik Light will be the first one-dose coronavirus vaccine to be used in India.
India currently uses three vaccines, including Covishield developed by the British-Swedish company AstraZeneca and produced by India’s Serum Institute, Covaxin produced by India’s Bharat Biotech, and Russia’s Sputnik V. Two US vaccines, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, have recently also been approved for emergency use in the country, though the vaccination using those jabs has not started yet in India.
Russia, India sign agreement on military-technical cooperation till 2030
NEW DELHI, India (TASS) — Russia and India have signed an inter-governmental agreement on a program for military-technical cooperation for 2021-2030, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
The document was inked in the presence of Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.
The chief of Russia’s federal service for military technical cooperation, Dmitry Shugayev and the Indian Defense Ministry’s Additional Secretary and Director General for Acquisition Kantha Rao put their signatures to the document.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the agreement provided for cooperation by arms and services and also the supplies and development of armaments and other military hardware.
Russia, India to reorient to joint development and production of defense systems
MOSCOW, Russia (TASS) — Russia and India are reorienting to joint research and development, and joint production of advanced defense technologies and systems, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a joint statement after their talks in New Delhi on Monday.
“Military and military-technical cooperation has traditionally been the pillar of Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia. Responding to India’s quest for self-sufficiency, the partnership is reorienting presently to joint research and development, co-development and joint production of advanced defence technology and systems,” the document says.
Russia and India noted the successful completion of the military technical cooperation program for 2011-2020 and hailed an agreement of such program for 2021-2031.
“The Sides reiterated their commitment to upgrade the defence cooperation, including facilitating joint development and production of military equipment, components and spare parts, enhancing the after-sales service system, progress towards mutual recognition of quality control and regular joint exercises of the Armed Forces of the two countries,” it reads. “The two leaders agreed that for peace, stability and mutual economic development, there is a need for the two countries to work closely together in the advanced and emerging fields of defence technology and for the Armed Forces of the two countries to work together in niche domains of military capabilities.”
According to the document, the sides are satisfied with the regular contacts between the military and joint drills, “which reached unprecedented heights this year, with three exercises being held within a span of 60 days besides simultaneous participation of large Indian contingents in the International Army Games.”
“The Russian side deeply appreciated participation of INS Tabar in the 325th Russian Navy Day celebrations. The Sides agreed to continue and expand regular defence dialogue, mutual training and exercises, subject matter expert exchanges and other activities under the aegis of India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation,” the statement says.
Apart from that, the Russia side highly appreciated Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh’s and an Indian Tri-Service contingent’s participation in the Victory Parade at Moscow’s Red Square in June 2020.
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