Article Posted on : - Dec 08, 2009

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during a joint Press Conference in Moscow on Monday. Image Credit: PTI

MOSCOW (PTI): India today voiced confidence that its agreement with Russia on a 10-year military and technical cooperation from 2011 would help enhance the operational capability of its defence forces in the next decade.

The agreement which was among the three defence pacts signed between India and Russia after the annual summit talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev provides for acquisition, licensed production, upgrades and modernisation of defence equipment as well as the development of new and advanced weapon systems.

"The agreement would help enhance operational capability of Indian Defence forces in the next decade by providing various Defence equipment systems," Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao told newsmen wrapping up the prime minister's talks with the Russian leadership that also included prime minister Vladimir Putin, who as the earlier Russian President sowed the seeds for Russia's strategic partnership with India.

"... (it) will also facilitate capacity development of the Indian Defence Industry," she said.

Taking bilateral defence ties to a new high, the agreement on After Sales Support for the Russian Arms and Military equipment supplied to India is being seen by Indian officials as an exercise to facilitate timely and adequate supply of spares and services for maintaining a high level of readiness and integrated maintenance of Russian made military equipment supplied to India.
The two countries also pledged to work for global non-proliferation.

During discussions on regional issues at the one-on-one meeting and at the delegation level talks, Singh said India and Russia have agreed to enhance their cooperation to meet the grave challenges of terrorism and religious extremism that emanate from "our region and threaten both our societies."

"Both India and Russia have an interest in a stable, prosperous and moderate Afghanistan, and we have agreed to regularly consult each other on the important issue," he said.

Rao noted that Indian and Russian leaders have focussed on priority areas of bilateral partnership and how the two countries intend to take this forward through intensive efforts in the coming months ahead.

At the India-Russia CEO's Council meeting last night, Rao said the Russian co-chair of the council Vladimir Evtushenkov spoke of the prospects for cooperation in the field of telecommunications.

The potential for collaboration in the pharmaceutical industry was also stressed at the meeting, she said.

The prime Minister at a news conference On Monday underscored how India could help in supplying affordable drugs to Russia because of the excellent knowhow it had in this field.

Both Singh and Medvedev spoke of the potential for India and Russia to forge ties in the pharmaceutical industry.

The Indian co-chair Mukesh Ambani spoke of the opportunities for Russian participation in the infrastructure development sector and cooperation in pharmaceuticals, including joint development of new technologies in the Health sector, as also telecommunications.