NEW DELHI, Nov 29: India and Russia are likely to sign a landmark accord to forge closer ties between the long-time allies during next week’s visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin, officials said on Friday.
Indian government officials said the Delhi Declaration sought to give “a new thrust to the strategic partnership” already forged by India and its main arms supplier, Russia.
“The declaration to be signed by President Putin and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will outline cooperation in combating terrorism besides covering a wide gamut of security and political fields,” an official said.
Another key bilateral document to be inked during Putin’s three-day trip to India was expected to set new directions for closer partnership in economic, scientific and technological fields, he said.
But the Russian leader’s visit was not likely to include the much-anticipated handover of an aircraft carrier, Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes said.
“The deal for the aircraft carrier will not be signed during Putin’s visit as some aspects of the agreement are yet to be discussed and decided,” Fernandes said while asserting India’s keen interest in acquiring the “Admiral Gorshkov.”
Russia has offered the aging aircraft carrier free of charge, placing the financial burden, estimated in the millions of dollars, for its complete refitting squarely on India.
Other sources said the two sides were to discuss a possible joint venture to manufacture passenger aircraft.
Allies during the Cold War, Russia remains India’s main defence supplier. The two sides are now looking at cooperation in non-defence sectors as well.
Putin is due to arrive in New Delhi on Tuesday and was to meet Vajpayee on Wednesday.
Speaking at a seminar on “Indo-Russian Strategic Partnership in the 21st Century,” India’s junior Foreign Minister, Digvijay Singh, said bilateral trade between the two countries was “stagnating.”
“Both of us are looking into ways and means of diversifying bilateral trade so as to step up the trade turnover beyond last year’s 1.4 billion dollars,” he said.
Speaking on the same platform, the chairman of Russian Duma’s committee on defence, A.I. Nikolaev, said Russia “needs India as much as India needs Russia.”
“It should be emphasized that Russia delivers to India the most up-to-date weaponry, even those types which are not yet in mass use of the Russian armed forces themsevles,” Nikolaev said.
“We understand perfectly well that in strengthening the defence of India we thereby strengthen our own security.”
He said the two countries should form a coordinated strategy to combat terrorism.
“Both our countries believe combating the global scourge of terrorism should be on a comprehensive and long-term basis and directed also at those supporting, harbouring or providing safe haven to terrorists,” he said. —AFP
