Article Posted on : - Dec 07, 2009

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh shakes hand with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, during their meeting at the Barvikha residence outside Moscow on Sunday. Image credit: PTI

MOSCOW (BNS): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is in Russia for the annual summit level talks with President Dimitry Medvedev, said defence cooperation has been a "very important aspect" in Indo-Russian ties.

He is in Russia for his three-day visit, overall sixth since 2004, that will see the inking of three agreements in the field of defence, including one for ending ad-hocism in servicing Russian military equipment.

The two sides are also expected to sign a landmark framework agreement on civil nuclear cooperation.

"Cooperation in the field of defence has been a very important aspect of our cooperation with Russia," Singh told the Russia Today television channel.

"We have been able to get equipment and technologies from Russia which was not available to us from any other countries," he noted.

Reflecting the warmth in the bilateral ties, the Russian President hosted a private dinner last night for Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur at his countryside residence in Barvikha outside Moscow, an honour so far accorded only to US President Barack Obama.

Over dinner, Medvedev and Singh held informal discussions on a wide range of issues including nuclear cooperation and conventional energy.