Stating that ‘India is Russia’s especially privileged strategic partner’, President Vladimir Putin today said that Moscow remains one of New Delhi’s leading suppliers of advanced weapons and defence technology.
“Our countries actively collaborate in the military technical field. Russia remains in the lead in terms of both direct supplies of most advanced weapons and military equipment and conducting joint researches with India, as well as producing goods for military purposes,” Putin said.
The President’s remark comes just ahead of his visit to India for the five-nations BRICS Summit in Goa this weekend.
Putin also talked about the success of joint military projects between the both nations. He said that many of the Russian projects in India not only have commercial importance but also play a significant social and economic role for the economies of the two countries.
“The construction of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and the development of a new, fifth generation fighter aircraft are among the successful joint projects,” he said.
Putin said such projects "harmoniously fit in the new Indian industrialisation programme", a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" initiative.
"Russian companies see real prospects and high attractiveness of the Indian market," Putin said.
On upcoming BRICS Summit, he said that the five-nation bloc of emerging economies was "determined" to cooperate in the fight against terrorism.
"For our five countries' leaders this meeting (in Goa) will be a good opportunity to harmonise our positions on key issues on the international agenda. We are determined to cooperate in the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking and corruption," Putin said.
Putin said BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) would "also contribute to settling conflicts and ensuring international information security".
The two-day summit in Goa begins on Saturday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the Goa summit. Modi is likely to raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism with the Russian president.
With IANS Inputs
