New Delhi : India and Russia are set to sign over a dozen agreements, including key pacts on jointly producing a multi-billion dollar jet fighter deal and building more Russia-aided nuclear reactors, when the leaders of the two countries hold talks on Monday.
Moving beyond traditional areas of cooperation like defence, the two sides will also focus on doubling their bilateral trade to $20 billion (Dh73 billion) by 2015 and expand their consultations on the volatile Afghanistan-Pakistan region during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's two-day visit starting today.
Accompanied by a large business delegation and senior ministers, Medvedev arrives early today, his second visit to India in three years, for an annual summit meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Shifting realities
The visit coincides with the tenth year of the strategic partnership between India and Russia who are looking to explore new areas to redefine their time-tested partnership in tune with shifting global realities.
Manmohan Singh and Medvedev will discuss a range of bilateral and international issues including the expansion of civil nuclear cooperation, the intensification of bilateral economic ties, global terrorism and the international financial crisis.
The Russian leader will also go to Agra and Mumbai tomorrow. In Mumbai, Medvedev will stay at The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, one of the targets of Pakistani terrorists in November 2008, and pay homage to victims.
He will visit the Indian Institute of Technology, Powai, and go to the Film City where he will interact with Bollywood stars.
The two leaders are set to exchange views on closer cooperation on stabilising Afghanistan and explore ways of working together in the light of planned withdrawal of US troops in July 2011.
