New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held talks
with Russian President Vladimir Putin and termed Russia as India’s foremost
defence partner.
The two
sides inked 16 agreements, including in the sphere of defence cooperation, oil
and gas and in trade, after the holding of the 15th India-Russia annual summit.
Modi,
reading out a statement after the talks, said both sides have outlined an
“ambitious vision for nuclear energy of at least 10 more reactors”.
Putin,
who read out his statement after Modi, said Russia and India have signed an
important statement on nuclear energy cooperation and Russia would set up “20
nuclear units” in India and also cooperate in uranium mining.
According
to the vision document on nuclear energy cooperation: “The two sides have
decided to fast-track the implementation of agreed cooperation projects for
Nuclear Power Plants. Both Sides will strive to complete the construction and
commissioning of not less than 12 units in the next two decades.”
India
has agreed to “expeditiously identify a second site, in addition to Kudankulam,
for the construction of the Russian-designed nuclear power units in India. The
sides will join their expertise and resources to minimise the total cost and
time of construction of nuclear power units”, it said. In the field of
hydrocarbons, too, both sides inked agreements for India to scout for oil and
gas in the resource rich Arctic Shelf.
Modi said India, despite being one of the world’s largest
importers of hydrocarbons, has not cooperated enough in this setor. “Today, we
have made a new start with a few important agreements. But we will set an
ambitious agenda for partnership in oil and gas,” said Modi.
Putin
said Russian energy behemoths Rosneft and Gazprom would join up with Indian
companies to scout for oil and gas in the Arctic Shelf. Defence was another area
that saw both sides enhancing cooperation.
Modi said Russia has been “India’s foremost defence partner
through decades” and mentioned the refitted Russian aircraft carrier INS
Vikramaditya as a “great symbol” of bilateral defence cooperation. “Even as
India’s options have increased today, Russia will remain our most important
defence partner,” he said. India imports around 70 percent of its defence
requirements from Russia, but has been looking at other countries, including
Israel and the US, for its weaponry.
He said the two sides had discussed a broad range of new defence
projects and how to “align our defence relations to India’s own priorities
including Make in India”.
The
prime minister said Russia has offered to fully manufacture in India one of its
most advanced helicopters, with the possibility of exports from India. The
helicopter can be used for both military and civilian use.
Modi
also proposed that Russia should locate its defence spares and components
manufacturing facilities in India and added that Putin had “responded very
positively” to the request. Getting Russian spares for defence equipment
purchased earlier by India has been a major headache for India.
Modi thanked Russia for its support in building closer relations
with the Russia-led Eurasia Economic Union. Modi also conveyed his condolences
at the loss of lives in a terror attack in Chechnya last week.
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