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The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, prior to his
departure for a visit to Russia, stated:
"My visit to Moscow for the annual Summit-level
interaction with President Putin is I believe a signifier
of the importance both our countries attach to our relations
with each other.
I am honoured that my visit is taking place exactly
50 years after India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal
Nehru paid his landmark visit to the then USSR, setting
our two nations on the path of an enduring strategic
partnership. This partnership is a cornerstone of India's
foreign policy and the declared priority for both our
countries. Marked by warmth, trust and mutual confidence,
the bilateral relationship is underpinned by a mutuality
of interests across the broadest spectrum of cooperation
and promotes the shared goal of peace and prosperity
for all.
In what will be my fourth meeting with President Putin
this year, I look forward to reviewing all key aspects
of our relationship. Our defence partnership - by far
the most prominent facet of our interaction - continues
to grow at a satisfactory pace. We hope to build a similar,
long-term partnership in the field of energy security
covering a range of energy sources. I will explore with
President Putin the means whereby we may enhance trade
and investments and technology cooperation between two
of the fastest growing economies of the world.
The India-Russia relationship is an important factor
in the creation of a secure and stable multi-polar world.
My mission is to work with our Russian friends to reinforce
the already strong framework of this very important
relationship.
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