Search the Internet           Tips

India, Russia forge strategic partnership

Russia and India forged a strategic partnership and signed co-operation agreements in economic and other fields on Tuesday in a bid to rekindle the warmth of their Cold War-era friendship.

The strategic partnership, signed by visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, binds the two countries to a joint approach on fighting international terrorism, defence issues and nuclear energy.

"These negotiations have confirmed the coincidence of long-term national and geopolitical interests of Russia and India," Putin told a joint news conference with Vajpayee after wide-ranging talks.

The Press Trust of India said that in their five-page declaration, the two sides agreed to convene annual summit-level meetings, co-operate more closely at the United Nations and come up with joint initiatives on key global and regional issues.

The visit, the first by a Russian president to India in almost eight years, has also been billed as a chance to rebuild a trading partnership which has withered miserably since New Delhi and Moscow both cast off socialist controls in the early 1990s.

Back to top

(c) Copyright 2000 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

Tell us what you think of this report