Significant bilateral agreements during Vladimir Putin's visit to India

Ahead of President Vladimir Putin's visit in New Delhi on Monday, Russia on Friday said "over a dozen" bilateral agreements will be inked during his trip including "very significant" deals on energy and defence.

A host of international, regional, and bilateral including Kudankulam Nuclear project, INS Vikramidtya (formerly Admiral Gorshkov) and Sistema telecom will also be discussed during the delegation level meeting between Putin and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"Let us wait till Monday. All kinds of agreements... We are cooperating in various fields. I am saying from the outer space to sea bottom. Even the sky is not the limit.

"That is why, a number of agreements, which will embrace and cover all fields of human activity between India and Russia, will be signed," Russian Ambassador to India Alexander M Kadakin said.

The Russian envoy also asked not to "over dramatise" the bilateral issues but maintained that the Sistema, which found its 2G licence cancelled on order of the Supreme Court, was not "a judicial matter but political".

He said "important and significant" agreements in the field of energy and defence will be inked. The statement comes amid reports from Moscow that Putin hopes to conclude pacts on the sale of fighter jets and aircraft engines to India which could be worth more than a whopping USD 7.5 billion.

Russia is keen on selling 42 Sukhoi SU-30MKI fighters and providing long-term supply of 970 warplane engines.

Speaking on the issues relating to nuclear projects, the Russian Ambassador described Kudankulam 3 and 4 as "grandsons" of Kudankulam 1 and 2. He stressed that the agreements for 3 and 4 were finalised in 2008 and hence should not be come under the purview of the 2010 Civil Nuclear Liability Law.

"The agreement is ready. It can be signed any moment. But of course there is difference about liability. I think the situation is clear. It is normal for functioning of international treaties and agreements and long established centuries-old practice that it cannot be retroactive," he said.

Kudankulam 3 and 4 was mentioned in the 2008 agreement. I again request you not to dramatise or over dramatise it because our position is very simple," Kadakin said.

Asked about defence cooperation between the two countries, the Russian envoy stressed that Moscow has always given the "best" it has.

Asked specifically about the delay in the delivery of INS Vikramidtya, Kadakin likened the aircraft carrier to a baby.

"This is a sophisticated state of the art weapon system. We want a baby delivered who would be healthy, smiling and shouting. So, I don't think you should be disappointed. If you want a good health baby, let us wait," he said.

Replying to a query on the lack of spare parts of defence equipment bought from Russia, Kadakin said that some of the weapon system that Russia supplied to India have become "obsolete" and Moscow no longer produces them.

He said Russia and India are talking about opening service centres in the country and quickly added, "Don't buy spare parts from unauthorised producers."

The Russian envoy said that bilateral defence ties was growing from a buyer-seller relationship to that of joint design and research. He mentioned that India and Russia were jointly designing 5th generation fighter jets.

He also took a dig at "newly acquired partners" and said that they would "jump into bushes" when it comes to sharing expertise.

On the issue of Russia losing out on the supply of 37 heavy-lift and attack helicopters to US, he said India has chosen someone but that does not mean Russian choppers are bad.

Asked if the issue of Syria would also be discussed during Putin's meeting with Singh, Kadakin said, "Of course. When leaders of two countries meet, the discuss all burning issues."

The Russian envoy said Russia was talking to Pakistan on "all matters" and said Islamabad was important for Russia especially especially in the post-2014 period by when foreign forces will move out of the war-torn country.

He also welcomed resumption of talks between India and Pakistan and said Moscow was ready to do "whatever possible" to improve Indo-Pak ties.

He however made it clear that he was not proposing a mediator role for Moscow.