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India to sign defence deals during Putin's visit

Moscow and New Delhi are on the threshold of signing ambitious defence projects, when President Vladimir Putin visits India on October 2, Kremlin announced on Friday night.

Besides science and technology co-operation and joint ventures in various fields, the defence projects likely to be initialled by both sides are joint production of T-90 tanks, MiG-29 shipboard fighters and submarine repair arrangements, Russian arms export chief Rulan Pukhov told the Novosti news agency.

Moscow has reiterated its desire to transfer the renovated and re-equipped aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov to India in accordance with New Delhi's needs, Radio Moscow reported.

A high-level Russian delgation led by Deputy Premier Ilya Klebanov will reach New Delhi on September 19 on a three-day visit to finalise draft agreements to be signed between India and Russia when Putin visits India on October 2, the Voice of Russia reported on Friday evening. politics-india-russia two last moscow

Russia's trade representative in India Yevgeny Isayev has disclosed that bilateral trade grew by 16 per cent in 1999 and exceeded 1.5 billion dollars, Novosti reported. Of course, this does not cover payments for deliveries of armaments, defence equipment and unorganised trade, Isayev told the agency.

Isayev also spoke on important power projects like the Kundakulam nuclear and the Tehri hydel projects and also mentioned modernisation of some thermal power stations, construction of power grids and a changeover from 400 to 1200 kw.

Isayev also expressed his country's eagerness to assist India in modernising its enterprises.

A joint working group set up by both countries on avionics will function under the aegis of the Indo-Russian economic trade and cultural commission. The commission's jurisdiction covers all joint projects in production and modernisation of civilian aircraft and their avionics. Russia may also directly sell to India its small-sized diamonds for processing and then take them back, Isayev indicated.

The issue of furthering bilateral co-operation in trade and economics depends largely on how India clears debts to Russia, accrued in Soviet times, a Russian official said.

UNI

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