News Analysis India

Tag: vladimir putin

  • Russian attack on Ukraine: PM Modi chairs meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security on Thursday after Russia launched an attack on Ukraine.

    Sources said Modi is also likely to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

    Besides Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Home minister Amit Shah and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar were seen in a video of the meeting shared by official sources.

    #WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) pic.twitter.com/9lvHMRi1bT
    — ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2022
    Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Hardeep Singh Puri who are not part of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) were in the meeting.

    National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and P K Mishra, the principal secretary to the prime minister, also attended the meeting.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin, who cast aside international condemnation and sanctions and announced the launch of the military offensive against Ukraine on Thursday, also warned other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to consequences they had “never seen”.

  • India and Russia military cooperation like with no other country: President Putin

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India is significant as the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit has been highly productive. This was after the the two countries also held their inaugural 2+2 ministerial dialogue between their foreign and defence ministers.

    Calling India a great nation, President Putin laid stress on boosting military and economic cooperation while giving his opening remarks during the meeting between the two leaders. “We perceive India as a great power, a friendly nation, and a time-tested friend. Relations between our countries are growing and are looking into the future,” said President Putin.

    President Putin said Russia and India also cooperate greatly in military and technical spheres like with no other country. “By that I mean we develop high technologies together as well as produce in India,” he said.

    Sources said,speaking on Afghanistan President Putin expressed his concern.“We continue to cooperate jointly on the global agenda and as you have said indeed our positions are quite similar and coincide. Naturally, we are concerned about everything that has got to do with terrorism. I mean fight against terrorism also drug trafficking, organised crime. And with that regard naturally, we are concerned about the developments and situation in Afghanistan.” 

    The Russian President added, “Last year the trade decreased by 17%, this year in the first nine months of this year, we see an increase by 38%. And naturally, we have every opportunity to reach the levels of trade that we have spoken before. And the same applies to investments. Right now the mutual investments stand at about 38 billion with more investments coming from the Russian side.”

    Prime Minister Modi thanked President Putin for his support extended to the Indians staying in Russia, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, said the sources adding that both leaders discussed the need for mutual recognition of vaccine certification to enable easier travel by citizens to each other’s countries.

    There was a total of 28 agreements signed which included four importan military-related pacts. Some main outcomes of the meeting were India and Russia signing a 10-year long military-technical cooperation agreement and the contract to manufacture six lakh units of the AK-203 assault rifles in India. The supply of the strategic Air Defence Missile system S-400 has begun recently added the sources.

    Briefing the media on Monday on the sidelines of President Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting, Indian Foreign Secretary HV Shringla said, “President Putin’s visit is short but highly productive & substantive. There were excellent discussions between the two leaders. 28 agreements/MoUs were concluded during this visit. These agreements include those between Govt to Govt and business to business”

    Enhancing bilateral trade & investment figured prominently in the talks. “This year, we’ve noticed an encouraging trend of growth in our trades compared to last year. Both sides are looking forward to the continued increase in trade and investment trajectory.”

    With regards to energy, “We have expressed interest in further investments in the oil and gas sector, as well as in the area of petrochemicals” informed FS Shringla.

    On the trade & investment side, there are some specific plans which include long-term cooperation in the areas of inland waterways, fertilizers, coking coals, steel, and skilled manpower. Coking coals emerged as an important area of corporation

    This was President Putin’s second only visit abroad since the lockdown with the first being to Geneva earlier. 

  • India, Russia have been regularly in touch on Afghanistan, regional issues: PM Narendra Modi

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: India and Russia have been in regular touch on Afghanistan and regional issues, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday and noted that the two countries have not only helped each other without hesitation but also taken care of each others’ sensitivities.

    The Prime Minister, who held the annual summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Hyderabad House here, said that the 2+2 mechanism between the two countries has started a new mechanism to increase cooperation between the two countries. “Both countries have not only helped each other without any hesitation but have also taken care of each others’ sensitivities. This is really a unique and trustworthy model of intrusted friendship,” he said.

    This is the first in-person between PM Modi and Putin since they met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in 2019 in Brasilia. The visit of the Russian leader is in continuation of the tradition of annual summits held alternately in India and Russia.

    PM Modi said that various fundamental changes had occurred at the global level in the last few decades and multiple new geopolitical equations have emerged but despite these variables, the friendship between the two countries has been constant.

    He emphasised that 2021 is a special year for the strategic partnership between India and Russia. “Today, the first 2+2 dialogue was convened among our foreign and defence ministers. The dialogue has begun a new mechanism to increase our practical cooperation. We have also been regularly in touch on Afghanistan and other regional issues,” the Prime Minister said.

    “The regional partnership that began from Eastern Economic Forum and Vladivostok summit today is turning into real assistance between Indian states and Russian Far East,” he added. The Prime Minister said the two countries are also implementing a long-term vision to strengthen economic ties.

  • India, Russia to ink number of pacts during Narendra Modi-Vladimir Putin Summit on Monday

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India and Russia are expected to ink a raft of pacts to further boost cooperation in key areas of defence, trade and investment, energy and technology at the summit talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin on Monday, government sources said.

    In the summit as well as in the inaugural ‘2+2’ defence and foreign ministerial talks, the two sides are also expected to focus on the situation in Afghanistan and the rising threat of terrorism including from groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

    It is learnt that the joint statement to be issued after the summit is likely to reflect India’s concerns over cross-border terrorism and the security implications arising out of the Afghan crisis.

    While Putin will arrive in Delhi on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu are reaching on Sunday night.

    According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), PM Modi and President Putin will begin the summit talks at 5:30 pm and the Russian leader will emplane from Delhi at 9:30 pm.

    Ahead of the summit, India has cleared the long-pending AK 203 Kalashnikov rifles deal worth nearly Rs 5,000 crore for production of over five lakh AK-203 assault rifles at Korwa in Amethi by an Indo-Russian joint venture.

    The two sides are also likely to wrap up the final phase of negotiations for a logistics support agreement, which is likely to be signed either during the two-plus-two talks or at the summit.

    In reflection of their time-tested defence ties, India and Russia are also set to renew for the next decade a framework for military-technical cooperation at the summit besides announcing a joint commission on technology and science.

    The two sides may also firm up a number of defence procurement proposals besides deliberating on the long-pending project for joint production of 200 twin-engine Kamov-226T light helicopters for Indian armed forces.

    According to sources, India is likely to apprise the Russian side about its position on the eastern Ladakh border row as well as its concerns over various regional developments.

    The sources said President Putin’s decision to visit India notwithstanding the current COVID-19 situation in Russia reflected the importance he attaches to the relationship with India.

    “December 6 will be a full Russia Day,” said a source referring to back-to-back important meetings.

    The day will begin with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s talks with his Russian counterpart Shoygu under the framework of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation.

    Separately, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will hold talks with his Russian counterpart Lavrov.

    Then the foreign and defence ministers of the two sides will hold the ‘2+2’ dialogue at 11:30 pm.

    Prime Minister Modi and President Putin will hold a one-on-meeting before the 21st India-Russia summit.

    A dinner will also be hosted for the Russian leader.

    The pacts to be signed will cover a wide range of areas including trade, energy, culture, defence and technology, the sources said.

    Besides government-to-government agreements, a number of other pacts are also set to be firmed up on the sidelines of the summit, the sources said.

    “Despite global geo-political changes, our relations with Russia have been very steady,” said another source.

    On cooperation in areas of defence, the sources said the two sides are set to focus on co-production and co-development of military equipment and platforms.

    Referring to investment ties, they said the target of USD 30 billion has already been met in 2018 and now the focus is on raising it to USD 50 billion by 2025.

    They said efforts would be to diversify trade ties which has till now been dominated by cooperation in the energy sector.

    “We are looking at new drivers of growth,” the source said.

    The sources said India is also keen on boosting trade relations with the Russian Far East and 11 governors from the region have been invited for the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat conclave.

    The last India-Russia Annual Summit was held in September 2019 during the visit of Modi to Vladivostok.

    The annual summit could not take place last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Over 5 lakh AK-203 rifles to be made in Amethi, deal may be signed during Putin’s visit

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: In a big boost to self-reliance in defence manufacturing in India, the Indo-Russian ordnance factory at Korwa in Amethi district of Uttar Pradesh is set to manufacture over five lakh AK-203 assault rifles. They will be produced by a joint Indo-Russian venture, approved by the Centre. The first 70,000 will include Russian-made components as technology transfers and the Army will receive these in 32 months after the manufacturing process begins.

    Signifying the robust defence ties between the two countries, India and Russia are likely to ink the Rs 6,000-crore deal for manufacturing AK-203 rifles at Korwa during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi. Over five lakh AK series rifles will be manufactured over a ten-year period time. These rifles are an advanced version of the AK-47.

    Korwa ordnance factory will manufacture the rifles for the military in the first phase followed by a bulk order for the paramilitary forces and police force of the country. A Major General is in charge of the plant.

    According to official sources, the proposed project will be executed in partnership with Russia. It will open up business opportunities for various MSMEs and other defence industries for supply of raw material and components, which will leadto generation of new employment opportunities.

    The 7.62 x 39mm caliber AK-203 rifles will replace the in-service INSAS rifles inducted over three decades back. AK-203 assault rifles, with an effective range of 300 metres, are lightweight, robust and easy to use with proven technology that will enhance the combat potential of soldiers to adequately meet present and envisaged operational challenges.

    They will enhance the operational effectiveness of the Indian Army in counter insurgency/counter terrorism operations.

    The project is significant as it would make UP a key contributor in the defence manufacturing hub of India given the upcoming 6-node defence corridor from Agra to Jhansi.

    The project will be implemented by a special purpose Joint Venture called Indo-Russian Rifles Private Ltd (IRRPL). It has been created with erstwhile OFB, now Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWEIL), and Munitions India Limited (MIL) of India and Rosoboronexport (RoE) and Kalashnikov of Russia.

  • Hurdles cleared for AK 203 rifles deal with Russia; likely to be sealed during Putin’s India visit

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India and Russia are likely to seal the long-pending AK 203 Kalashnikov rifles deal under the Make in India initiative during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit here next month for summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, people familiar with the development said on Tuesday.

    A meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh deliberated on key aspects of the joint venture and is learnt to have cleared the hurdles for its finalisation, they said.

    Under the nearly Rs 5,000 crore deal, the Indo-Russian joint venture will produce over six lakh AK 203 rifles over a period of 10 years at a manufacturing facility in Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

    The contentious issues that have been sorted out now included the cost component, the sources said.

    Both sides had given in-principle approval for the deal Singh’s visit to Moscow last year.

    The joint venture is also expected to explore the possibility of exporting the AK 203 Kalashnikov rifles.

    Putin is likely to visit India on December 6 for the summit with Modi.

    The two sides are also looking at holding the inaugural ‘2+2’ defence and foreign ministerial dialogue around the time of the summit.

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Singh are scheduled to hold the dialogue with their Russian counterparts Sergey Lavrov and Sergey Shoygu.

    The Modi-Putin summit is expected to produce specific outcomes in further expanding ties in areas of defence, trade and energy.

    It is learnt that the two sides are going to firm up a number of agreements in the areas of defence, trade and investment, and science and technology at the summit.

    A framework for military-technical cooperation is set to be renewed for the next decade at the summit besides announcing a joint commission on technology and science.

    India and Russia have also reached the final phase of negotiation for a logistics support agreement and it is likely to be signed either during the two-plus-two talks or at the summit.

    The pact will allow militaries of the two countries to use each other’s bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, besides facilitating scaling up of overall defence cooperation.

    The summit was postponed last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Both the countries have a mechanism under which India’s prime minister and the Russian president hold a summit meeting annually to review the entire gamut of ties.

    So far 20 Annual Summit meetings have taken place alternatively in India and Russia.

  • India, Russia to establish a ‘2+2 ministerial dialogue’ between foreign, defence ministers

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday thanked President Vladimir Putin for Russia’s help and support in India’s fight against COVID-19 as the two leaders agreed to establish a “2+2 ministerial dialogue” between foreign and defence ministers to add further momentum to the bilateral strategic partnership.

    In a statement following a telephonic conversation between Modi and Putin, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said the Russian president expressed solidarity with the people and Government of India and conveyed that Russia would extend all possible support in their fight against the pandemic.

    “Prime Minister Modi thanked President Putin and noted that the prompt Russian support to India was a symbol of our enduring partnership,” it said.

    Russia now has become part of a small group of countries with whom India has 2+2 dialogue of foreign and defence ministers.

    India has such mechamism with the US, Japan and Australia.

    In a series of tweets, Modi said they reviewed diverse bilateral cooperation, especially in the area of space exploration and renewable energy sector, including in hydrogen economy.

    The cooperation on Sputnik-V vaccine will assist humanity in battling the pandemic, he said.

    “Had an excellent conversation with my friend President Putin today. We discussed the evolving COVID-19 situation, and I thanked President Putin for Russia’s help and support in India’s fight against the pandemic,” Modi tweeted.

    Sputnik-V, a coronavirus vaccine, has been approved by the government for emergency use in India, a decision which Putin appreciated.

    The two leaders noted that the Russian vaccine will be manufactured in India for use in India, Russia and third countries, the statement said.

    A Russian statement said the first consignment of medical supplies from that country to India will include 22 tonnes of equipment, including 20 oxygen production units, 75 ventilators, 150 medical monitors and 200,000 packs of medicine.

    “Vladimir Putin supported Narendra Modi during this difficult period of combatting the spread of the coronavirus and informed him of the decision to send emergency humanitarian aid to India,” it said.

    It said the two leaders welcomed the registration of the Sputnik V vaccine in India and noted its high efficiency and safety.

    “They also expressed their satisfaction with the fact that the Russian Direct Investment Fund had reached an agreement with Indian companies to produce 850 million doses of Sputnik V. The production is to begin in May,” it said.

    The Indian statement said Modi conveyed appreciation for the support received from Russia for India’s Gaganyaan programme and the completion of the Russian phase of training of the four astronauts for India’s first manned space mission.

      The two leaders also recalled important decisions taken during their last summit meeting in Vladivostok in September 2019, with Prime Minister Modi conveying that he looked forward to the Russian president’s visit to India later this year for the bilateral Summit which would provide an occasion to continue their “personal and trusted conversation”.

    Putin assured Modi of Russia’s full support for the success of India’s presidency of BRICS during 2021, and the two leaders agreed to remain in close touch on bilateral and international issues, the statement said.

  • Modi invites Russia to set up defence industrial park in India

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday invited Russia to set up a dedicated defence industrial park in India as he looked to expand ties with New Delhi’s traditional ally.

    Speaking at a business meeting where visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin was also present, Modi said the trade between the two nations has risen 20 per cent in 2017-18.

    Stating that India is the most open economy in respect to FDI, he invited Russians to set up a dedicated defence industrial park in the country and take the traditional relationship forward.

    “We are committed to building a new India. We have to do this as early as possible,” he said.

    Listing vast business opportunities in India, he said India is modernising its ports under Sagarmala project, building metro rail projects in 50 cities, expanding rail and road network and modernising airports.