India and Russia sign 30 pacts

Imparting a new impetus to their "special and privileged" ties, India and Russia today inked 30 pacts in several key areas such as civil nuclear cooperation and defence, including development of Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) to augment country's military capabilities.

During their nearly two-hour long annual summit meeting which encompassed a whole range of crucial bilateral, regional and global matters, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also took stock of the situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan which impacts on the security of both the countries.

Besides deciding to enhance cooperation in crucial spheres of military, energy sector, science and technology, space research and pharmaceuticals, the two sides agreed to step up efforts to achieve the target of bilateral trade of $20 billion by 2015.

Apart from 11 pacts, which were signed after the talks, 19 agreements, including those between private companies of both the countries were inked on the margins of the summit.

The key pacts include preliminary design contract for FGFA envisaging joint design and development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Russia's Sukhoi Design Bureau and Rosoboronexport, Framework Agreement on Cooperation in hydrocarbon sector and MoU for joint research and development in reactor technology and related fields for peaceful uses of atomic energy.

Other agreements pertained to simplification of visa procedure for certain categories, including for businessmen, enhancement of cooperation in oil and gas sector, MoU for cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector, MoU on combating irregular migration and agreement on cooperation in the field of emergency management.

"Our talks have been comprehensive and result-oriented. We have signed several important agreements covering a large number of sectors. This reflects our mutual desire to bring our cooperation in other areas at par with our traditionally strong cooperation in the defence and nuclear fields," Singh said at a joint press interaction with Medvedev.

The two leaders also discussed construction of additional Russian designed nuclear reactors at Kudankulam, where two units are ready to be commissioned. While first unit will be commissioned by end of this month or early next month, the second unit will be commissioned by next year-end.

Recalling their Moscow declaration on International Terrorism of 2001, the two leaders agreed that there is no justification whatsoever for any act of terrorism.

"The sides agreed that all terrorist networks must be defeated. They called upon Pakistan to expeditiously bring all the perpetrators, authors and accomplices of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks to justice," the joint statement, issued after the talks,said.