Strategic partnership with India unconditional priority:Russia

In his messages to President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Medvedev wrote: "The strategic partnership with India is an unconditional priority of Russia's foreign policy. Its solid basis is built by the feelings of sincere sympathy, mutual respect and trust between our peoples".

Medvedev underscored that the Indo-Russian friendly and constructive relations were not affected by situational developments and have been steadily developing over decades.

In his messages to Patil and Singh, the Russian leader also lauded India's achievements over the years of independence.

"Over the years of its sovereign development, India has achieved impressive successes in various fields.

"Having earned a high reputation in the international community, your country plays an important positive role on the world scene," Medvedev said in his congratulatory messages to the Indian leadership, excerpts from which were released here by the Kremlin.