Article Posted on : - Dec 22, 2009

NEW DELHI (BNS): India and Russia rediscovered their defence cooperation in the year 2009. Many defence deals stepped into progress, which is beneficial for both the countries at global front.

Both countries share multi-billion dollar lucrative arms market which will further increase this month as India will buy more nuclear reactors from Russia.

This year top Indian powers visited Russia, President Pratibha Patil in September followed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in December to concrete the association between the two nations after the New Delhi's pro-US tilt.

India has given a green signal to remain Russia as its key strategic partner after signing an umbrella civilian nuclear deal and inter-governmental agreement by another 10 years till 2020, as said by PMO sources.

Prime Minister Singh attended the summits of BRIC and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Yekaterinburg and gave a signal of special importance India attaches to its relations with Russia.

According to Tatiana Shaumyan, Director of Centre of Indian Studies of the Oriental Institute of the Russian Science Academy, “The Kremlin did not fail to notice Singh's gesture, which to a great extent dispersed the 'India falling into the lap of Americans notion widely subscribed in Russia”.

Delay in the delivery of the aircraft carrier Gorshkov was described by President Dmitry Medvedev as the 'sole irritant' in Indo-Russian relations.

An ambitious target of USD 20 billion bilateral trade by 2015 double the USD 10 billion target is set for 2010 between the countries at ‘The Indo-Russian CEO's Council meeting’ in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"Strengthening the strategic partnership with India remains one of the key priorities of Russia's foreign policy. This to full extent applies to interaction on the global arena, as well as to the development of multi-faceted economic relations," Putin said at Indo-Russian CEO's Council meet.

Russian President Valdimir Putin urges to bring about 'qualitative' changes in the bilateral economic ties between the two nations. His visit is scheduled for 2010 on the invitation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"We see, that cooperation with India has acquired real anti-crisis stability, it is not afraid of sharp fluctuations in the global economic conjuncture. Now our task is to move further, activate the whole arsenal of opportunities for the diversification of Russian-Indian contacts," Putin declared.

The 'Year of India in Russia' was also celebrated in 2009 after the success of the 'Year of Russia in India' in 2008.