Indian PM Narendra Modi going to Russia for annual summit

As Prime Minister Modi will arrive in Moscow on December 23, the PMO said that India is eager to manufacture 200 Kamov-226T helicopters in a joint venture with Russian Federation.

-India is also likely to seek Russia’s backing for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council. “It is a very important visit”, said Professor Anuradha Chenoy of Jawaharlal Nehru University. “The real shift between India-Russia summits in the past and this year will be the inclusion of the private sector in the strategic partnership between the two countries”, ORF analyst Nandan Unnikrishnan told The Hindu. I had just assumed charge as Gujarat CM and had accompanied Atal ji to Russian Federation. Annually, the state road transport undertakings in India buy about 10,000-15,000 new buses.

The Foreign Secretary said India was expecting a deeper engagement in Russia’s oil and coal sectors besides enhancing cooperation in other key sectors such as diamond trade and agro-business.

“I am certain that this visit will substantially take forward the already strong people-to-people ties between our nations”, he added.

Putin hosts Modi in Moscow for the annual bilateral summit after visiting New Delhi previous year. They conferred on this issue during the G-20 summit in Antalya in November, held in the aftermath of the Paris terrorist attacks, and there is likely to be a more coordinated front against terrorism at worldwide forums.

Indian media claims that the prime minister’s office is pressuring all stakeholders to complete the project at the earliest, with Modi eager to attend the inauguration ceremony.

Under an inter-government agreement to be signed during Modi’s trip, Moscow will set up a production line for the light helicopters that will supply the Indian military but also eventually Russia, the Russian official said.

File Image of Narendra Modi.

The talks between the two countries, bound by “special and privileged strategic ties”, have been taking place alternately in Moscow and New Delhi since 2000. The two time-tested partners will focus on expanding economic ties. “Police forces should establish links with local communities and one way of doing this is to celebrate the successes and achievements of people in the community”, he said.

“Similarly, mutual investments are roughly around $11 billion of each other”. The two neighbours have expedited efforts to escalate it up to $30 billion by 2025.

-A Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Zone.

PM Modi also recalled the commitment of nations at COP21 to reduce the use of fossil fuels.

A lot has been said about the rising menace of pollution in Indian cities of late and it goes without saying that the problem has amplified with growing levels of industrialisation, vehicle population and relentless construction work over the past decade. “This I have not experienced with President Putin”, said Modi.

He said a number of global issues with current relevance will come up for discussions between Modi and Putin.