Indian premier Narendra Modi visits Russia for annual summit

The two leaders final had a proper interplay on the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in Ufa metropolis of Russia, in July. “We anticipate these projects to be coordinated by next month”, he had said.

“As I look to the future, I see Russian Federation as a significant partner in India’s economic transformation and in shaping a balanced, multi-polar world”, Modi said. “These relations are developing in all directions”. He said expanding economic ties would be a “very big priority” as the two countries were aiming at enhancing annual bilateral trade to Dollars 30 billion over the next 10 years from current USD 10 billion.

After the Prime Minister stepped onto the tarmac, a Russian official made a gesture with his hand which appeared that Modi misinterpreted as he started walking.

Russian Kogalymavia Flight 9268 came down about half-an-hour after leaving the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh while on way to St. Petersburg in a terrorist attack on October 31.

“Russia’s and India’s positions are close or coincide” on topical worldwide issues, the presidential press service said.

“Despite the various global problems, despite the confrontation against Russian Federation, you have raised your country, your state to a qualitatively new level”.

He recalled that in 2001, when he had just assumed charge as Gujarat CM and had accompanied then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Russian Federation. Saying India wants to extend its ties with Russian Federation beyond hydrocarbons, the Prime Minister said, New Delhi wants to take this partnership forward to hard carbons to foster diamond trade.

“Our relations are developing in all areas: this applies to political matters and the coordination of our efforts on the global arena; it also applies to the economy and humanitarian cooperation”, he said.

He added that a number of issues required special attention, “especially in todayÂ’s challenging economic environment”. He will also attend a “Friends of India” programme. India is the world’s largest arms importer and Russia’s largest weapons buyer.

The Joint Statement said the two countries vowed to increase annual bilateral trade and investment and emphasized the need for continued facilitation by both the governments as well as speedy implementation of decisions and liberalization of relevant rules and regulations.

Russia, however, needs to realise that the more sophisticated defence equipment it supplies to India’s neighbours, the less attractive its technology will become for India.