Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to arrive in India on Monday for the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit. One of the highlights of President Putin’s one-day visit will be the two countries signing a major deal worth over Rs 5,100 crore for producing AK-203 assault rifles in India.
This will be the first in-person meeting between President Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi after their meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Brasilia in November 2019. During the summit, Prime Minister Modi and President Putin will review the state and prospects of bilateral relations between India and Russia and will discuss ways to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries. The last India-Russia annual summit took place in 2019 during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Vladivostok city in Russia. The annual summit could not take place in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation.
“Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay an official visit to New Delhi on December 6 for 21st India, Russia annual Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi earlier said during a weekly press briefing. The Summit will offer an opportunity to exchange views on regional multilateral and international issues of mutual interests, Bagchi said. “The visit will further provide an impetus to India-Russia special and privileged strategic partnership,” Bagchi added.
India and Russia are expected to ink more than 10 bilateral agreements on connectivity, shipping, space, military-technical cooperation, science and technology, education, and culture.
India and Russia will also hold the first “two plus two” format dialogue here. According to the Russian embassy, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu will hold talks with their Indian counterparts, Dr S. Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh.
According to MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, “the day (6 December) will begin with Defence Minister and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Shoygu, co-chairing what is known as the Intergovernmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation, in the morning.”
The ministers are expected to hold in-depth discussions of the key regional and international topics, including the situation in the Asia-Pacific region and developments in Afghanistan and Syria, as well as exchange views on interaction within the SCO and Russia, India and China (RIC), the Russian embassy had said in a statement on Friday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he intends to discuss with Prime Minister Narendra Modi new “large-scale” initiatives on further developing “specially privileged” Russian-Indian relations.
“This partnership brings real mutual benefit to both states. Bilateral trade shows good dynamics; ties are actively developing in the energy sector, innovation, space, and the production of coronavirus vaccines and medicines,” Putin said during the ceremony of receiving credentials from foreign ambassadors in the Kremlin on Wednesday. “There is extensive cooperation in the defence sector, including through the creation of joint ventures,” he emphasised.
Underlining that India is one of the authoritative centres of the multipolar world, Putin said it has a foreign policy philosophy and priorities that are closely aligned with our own.
“I am convinced that, relying on strong traditions of friendship and mutual understanding, we will continue working together to expand the full range of Russian-Indian ties,” he added.
Putin said that he intended to discuss with PM Modi new large-scale initiatives on further developing “specially privileged Russian-Indian relations and Russian-Indian strategic partnership”.
The main attraction of the visit will be the finalisation of the AK-203 assault rifle deal which would be produced in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. The production of the over five lakh rifles by the India-Russia joint venture company would see a complete transfer of technology within seven years of signing the contract. The two sides are also discussing the conclusion of the Igla air defence system deal but that is not likely to be signed during this visit, sources said. Of the 7.5 lakh rifles to be acquired by the Indian Army, the first 70,000 will include Russian-made components as the transfer of technology happens slowly. These will be delivered to the Army 32 months after production begins.