Over 15 pacts to be inked during Dmitry Medvedev's visit

More than 15 pacts in key areas of civil nuclear cooperation and defence, including one on fifth generation fighter aircraft, will be inked during the visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who is arriving in New Delhi on Monday night.

While the two sides are expected to sign a general framework agreement on construction of two more nuclear power units, Moscow was still awaiting a "precise explanation" on how the civil nuclear liability law will affect bilateral cooperation, Russian ambassador to India Alexander M Kadakin said today.

However, he clarified that he does not see it as an "impediment or hurdle" to the cooperation between the two countries in the field. He also said that it was up to the government to explain how the domestic law will be applied on the implementation of the contracts.

Briefing reporters on the presidential visit, he said that Medvedev, who will be here for the annual India-Russia Summit, will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on a range of bilateral and regional matters, including situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, apart from global issues.

Identifying cooperation in civil nuclear field as one of the most important components of Indo-Russia ties, he said his country was ready to build over a dozen nuclear power plants in India in next 15-20 years for which sites have to be identified by the government.

"This month or early next month, the first unit in Kudankulam (Tamil Nadu) will be commissioned and that is the fundamental difference, and that is the real substance of Russian-Indian strategic partnership," he said.

The 1000 MW unit, being constructed for the last three years, is one of the four such units in Kudankulam to be built through collaboration with Russia.

Initially, India had earmarked a site in Haripur for the construction of two Russian nuclear power plants, but due to stiff resistance from locals, the government was forced to look for alternative sites, including one in Orissa.

Taking a dig at other countries wanting to have civil nuclear cooperation with India, he said, "Plans of your future partners in nuclear cooperation is of virtual character like on a computer monitor and is of more hypothetical."

In defence cooperation, the two sides are expected to sign a pact on joint production of 5th generation fighters (FGAs) during the visit, he said.

Enhancing economic relations will be another important aspect of the visit as both sides feel that business ties were yet to achieve their potential. Both the countries have set a trade target of US$ 20 billion in next five years.