A Special Relationship: US Will Never Replace Russia in India’s Eyes

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday pledged closer ties between their historically allied countries as their governments signed agreements in the defense, nuclear and energy sectors.

“Finally, the nation is shocked and deeply hurt at what we see on television the PM walking away while the national anthem was being played in Moscow”.

Addressing the Friends of India occasion on the Expo Centre right here on Thursday, Modi termed his go to to Russian Federation as “very profitable and fruitful”. “This was a great tragedy and the entire people of India were with Russian Federation during these hard moments”, he said. He told the audience that the bilateral relations were developing in all directions – in worldwide politics, economy and the humanitarian area.

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

Speaking at the start of the talks, Putin for his part said he hoped to discuss the “privileged strategic partnership” of the two countries that are members of the BRICS emerging market nations group.

To ensure deeper economic engagement, India is pushing for a Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Zone and is sharing with Russian Federation details of a study it conducted in this regard. PM Narendra Modi & President Putin begin the 16th Annual Summit with a restricted meeting, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted along with a picture of the two leaders at the Kremlin.

He added that a number of issues required special attention, “especially in todayÂ’s challenging economic environment”.

Winning a significant slice of the $150 billion that Modi plans to spend to upgrade his military could be a welcome diversion for Putin, who’s bracing for a second year of recession amid Western sanctions and low oil prices. The world was looking at India with hope, and investors were confident of investing in the country.

The two leaders noted that India’s participation as a partner country in the International Industrial Exhibition INNOPROM 2016 and Russia’s involvement as a partner country in India Engineering Sourcing Show 2017 could spur a fresh wave of growth in the field of industry, scientific and technological innovations. On the occasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, high technology, innovation, energy, aircraft building, pharma and diamonds are promising sectors for India- Russia cooperation. Delhi has responded with a slew of military deals, notably the co-manufacture of Kamov 226 helicopters and the purchase of the S-400 Triumf air-defence system.

They could announce also the location of a new Russian nuclear plant in south India’s Andhra Pradesh, an extension of the Russian nuclear plant under construction in Kudankulam where one reactor is already in operation.