International   

“No changes in ties after Putin’s term”

MOSCOW: The coming change of leadership in Russia will not lead to any downturn in India-Russia relations, outgoing envoy to Russia Kanwal Sibal said.

“President Vladimir Putin has played an extremely positive role in India-Russia relations, but his departure will not lead to any changes to our relationship given its depth and durability,” Mr. Sibal said. He was equally confident that India’s closer ties with the United States would not be at the expense of Russia.

Mr. Putin is to step down next year as the Russian Constitution does not allow him to run for a third straight term in the next presidential election scheduled for March 2008.

“Mr. Putin’s strategic vision for Russia is accepted by the Russian elite, therefore the change at the top will not lead to any drastic policy changes here,” Mr. Sibal told the Indian media before departing from Moscow on Monday. He is being succeeded by High Commissioner to Australia Prabhat Shukla.

Mr. Sibal noted three key agreements signed during Mr. Putin’s visit to India in January that laid a basis for stronger relations in the future. One is a Memorandum of Intent to build four Russian nuclear reactors at Koodankulam in addition to two reactors that are being currently set up.

“I don’t think any country in the past 30 years has offered to supply four nuclear reactors at the same time,” he said.

Two other agreements provide for the joint construction of a fifth generation fighter plane and a mid-range military transport aircraft (MTA).

“These agreements are indications that India is willing to put a heavy stake in its defence relations with Russia, because these will tie India closer to Russia in transport and combat aviation,” Mr. Sibal said. The high points of Mr. Sibal’s three-year tenure in Moscow include the doubling of bilateral trade from $2 billion to $4 billion, the signing of defence deals worth $14.6 billion, India’s accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as an observer, and its joining of the Russian project of GLONASS, the global navigation satellite system .

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Prachanda’s threat
“Weakening of LTTE gives an advantage to Sri Lanka in finding a political solution”
Pranab in Seoul for talks
Pakistan Opposition parties cry foul
Russian nuclear fuel for Iran: Mottaki
28 killed in Sri Lanka clashes
“No changes in ties after Putin’s term”
Protecting the panda
A soup for the record in Venezuela
Machu Picchu artefacts to return to Peru
Arctic ice retreats to record low
To the rescue
Hope fading for Fossett

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu