Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia from September 4 to 5 will open a “new chapter” in already close bilateral ties as the two sides will aim to boost cooperation in a plethora of areas including defence, trade, civil nuclear energy and hydrocarbons, Russian envoy Nikolay Kudashev said on Wednesday.
Expanding existing civil nuclear cooperation will be a key focus area during Modi’s visit and both countries are working to firm up a general agreement for building six more atomic reactors in India apart from those under the Kudankulam project, Deputy Chief of Russian Embassy Roman Babushkin said.
Without sharing specific details, Babushkin said a number of agreements will be signed to expand cooperation between the two countries in several key areas during Modi’s visit.
Referring to the Afghan peace process, he said both India and Iran were important players in Afghanistan and that New Delhi has made great contribution in socio-economic development of the war-ravaged country.
Kudashev and Babushkin addressed a press conference on Modi’s upcoming visit to Russia.
In Russia, Modi will attend the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostoc as the chief guest and hold the 20th India-Russia annual summit. Apart from bilateral issues, the two leaders are expected to deliberate on major regional and international issues as well.
“The 20th summit will be unique as compared to the previous highest level engagements between our two leaders,” said the Russian Ambassador.
He said the summit between Modi and President Vladimir Putin will lay a solid ground for exploration and promotion of a new dimension to the special and privilege partnership between the two countries.