India inks deal for Gorshkov

“We have finalised several important and long-pending defence cooperation projects which will deepen our longstanding partnership and agreed upon a road map for the construction of nuclear power plants,” Manmohan Singh said at the end of his meeting with visiting Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin who arrived here on Thursday.

In his last Russia visit in December, Singh had offered the Haripur site to Russia for setting up a nuclear park with six Russian reactors. On the much talked about Indo-Russian joint venture to develop fifth generation fighter aircraft, Putin said New Delhi and Moscow’s future cooperation will involve the fifth generation fighter in which Russia alone has made considerable advancement. “Joint effort (on FGFA) will benefit both countries,” he said.

The Russian prime minister, who is on his fifth visit to India, made it explicit that Moscow valued friendship with New Delhi more than linkages with Pakistan. Putin said Indian friends’ concerns would not be dashed by signing up any deal with Pakistan that may compromise the security scenario in South Asia. “India remains a reliable and trusted friend,” he said.

With the Nato forces’ likely withdrawal from Afghanistan in a couple of years, the instability in Afghanistan and the Taliban influence remain a cause of worry for both countries, which were victims of terrorism.

“We have agreed to intensify our consultations on Afghanistan and the challenges posed by terrorism and extremism in our region,” Singh said.

India’s biggest gain is the Gorshkov deal, which was formally sealed on Friday after years of protracted negotiations. The 45,000-tonne aircraft carrier is expected to join the Navy by 2012.

On space missions, both  countries will cooperate on developing a Russian-origin global navigation system besides joint production of satellite navigation equipment. With India all set to send an Indian to space, Russia offered training for Indian astronauts.