Putin in India With Eyes on Arms, Trade Deals

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in New Delhi on Monday to tighten defence ties and boost trade with India, according to AFP.

Accompanied by several senior ministers and military officials, Putin was due to meet with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the day-long visit.

“We had to change the venue due to security concerns. President Putin will be meeting the prime minister at his residence and not in Hyderabad House,” a foreign ministry official told AFP.

Putin pledged to tighten defence ties with India and double levels of bilateral trade within three years as he headed to New Delhi for a summit on Monday.

“I would like to stress that deepening of friendship and cooperation with India is among the top priorities of our foreign policy,” Putin wrote in an article for The Hindu, an Indian daily, ahead of his visit.

“The strategic nature of partnership between India and Russia is witnessed by the unprecedented level of our military and technical cooperation,” Putin wrote, saying “the joint development of advanced armaments rather than just purchasing military products” would be key to future relations.

His comments echoed those of Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid who said Friday that “India is committed to strengthening and enhancing this relationship, both on economic and strategic ties”.

R.S