Agencies
New Delhi, December 06:
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin will arrive in India for a day-long visit on Monday, during which he will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
During the visit, India and Russia will hold the first 2+2 format dialogue in New Delhi and discuss key bilateral, regional and international issues, including the situation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Putin had said last week that he intends to discuss with PM Modi new “large-scale” initiatives on further developing “specially privileged” Russian-Indian relations.
“This partnership brings real mutual benefit to both states. Bilateral trade shows good dynamics; ties are actively developing in the energy sector, innovation, space, and the production of coronavirus vaccines and medicines,” the Russian President had said during a ceremony of receiving credentials from foreign ambassadors in the Kremlin on Wednesday.
Here’s the big points about Putin’s visit and the expected agenda:
• This will be the first in-person meeting between Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi after their meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Brasilia in November 2019.
• Several agreements to deepen cooperation in defence, trade, space, technology, energy and culture are expected to be inked during the summit.
• The Russian President is scheduled to hand over the model of an S-400 air defence system to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, news agency ANI reported.
• The two countries will also ink a major deal worth over ₹5,100 crore to produce AK-203 assault rifles in India. These rifles will be produced in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi.
• The AK-203 rifles will replace INSAS rifles inducted more than three decades ago. The Indian Army is expected to acquire 7.5 lakh of these rifles.
• The production of the over five lakh rifles by the India-Russia joint venture company would see a complete transfer of technology within seven years of signing the contract.
• Two sides will discuss the Igla air defence system deal but that is not likely to be signed during this visit.
• A key pact that could be signed is the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS), which will allow militaries of the two nations to access logistics and support facilities at each other’s bases.
• India and Russia will also be holding the first 2+2 format dialogue in New Delhi between defence minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoigu and external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
• The ministers are expected to hold in-depth discussions of the key regional and international topics, including the situation in the Asia-Pacific region and developments in Afghanistan and Syria.
