A day before leaving for Moscow to hold bilateral annual summit talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India values support Russia has provided it all along and the strategic partnership is only going to grow.
“Russia provided defence equipment to India and international support when few were willing to hold our hands. Indians will never forget the Russian support that we got when we needed it the most,” Modi said in interview to the Russian news agency ITAR TAAS. He added that Russian assistance has helped India’s industrialization and progress in many areas, including space.
Acknowledging the world has gone through enormous political and economic, technological transformation since the end of the Cold War and the breakup of the Soviet Union, Modi said that through these turbulent times, India Russia relationship has remained on a steady course of progress. “A lot of credit goes to President Putin and Indian leaders over the past two decades,” he said.
“Russia has been the largest supplier of military equipment to India and would remain so and added that energy is a sector where both can do a lot more,” Modi said. He mentioned nuclear energy, space hydrocarbons, trade and investments as some areas where the two sides have huge potential to work together.
“We are establishing a more direct trade route through the International North South Transit Corridor that will drastically reduce cost and time for transporting goods between India and Russia. And, we have recently notified a Diamond Trading Centre in India that will enable Russia uncut diamonds to be directly routed to India for processing rather than through third countries,” PM said.
On the issue of nuclear cooperation PM said: “Our cooperation with Russia in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy is a cornerstone of our strategic partnership.”
Talking about military-technical cooperation, Modi said: “We value Russian support during the era when not many doors were open to us. Even in the current environment, and despite India’s improved access to the world market, Russia remains our principal partner.” He mentioned aircraft carrier ‘INS Vikramaditya’, Sukhoi fighter jets and Brahmos cruise missiles as symbol of defence cooperation.
“They are the result of unwavering mutual trust and confidence and reflect the strength of our strategic partnership,” he added.