India has Russia's full support in defense, industry and nuclear sectors: Adityanath

On the second day of his Russia visit, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that India has full support from Russia in defence, industry and nuclear sectors.

"We have full support from Russia in defense, industry and nuclear sectors. It would not be wrong to say that the friendship between Russia and India has been growing year after year and we have established ourselves as strategic partners," Adityanath said here as he participated in a programme on the subject of agriculture, food processing and energy, read a statement.

On the occasion, an MoU was also signed between Uttar Pradesh and Zabaykalsky Krai region in the field of agriculture and food processing.

Adityanath said that India and Russia have shared close relations for the last seven decades. He asserted that Russian cooperation played a major role in India's progress post independence.

The Chief Minister further cited examples highlighting India-Russia cooperation.

"A thermal power plant was built in 1968 in Obra and in Harduaganj in 1971 with the support of the Soviet Union. Russian companies helped in the construction of Tehri and Koteshwar hydroelectric plants too," he said.

Adityanath said that the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) are the top research and development institutions in the field of agriculture and contract farming in India and expertise and guidance of these institutions will help in preparing the road map for the prospects of integrated development of agriculture in the Far Eastern Russia, the statement added.

The Chief Minister said that India ranks number one in the field of livestock and its related activities. He said effective measures have been taken in the state of Uttar Pradesh for the development of essential infrastructure for milk based activities so that farmers can get fair price for their produce.

Adityanath went on to add that in order to upscale food processing in the country; to maintain the availability of pure and nutritious food products to the general public; to reduce the damage after harvesting; and to obtain a fair price for the produce of the farmers in large quantities, mega food parks and cold chains are being set up.

He said that the kind of technical skill and management of resources that our investors adopt here will definitely provide a golden opportunity for better production and investment in Far Eastern Russia, the statement read.

Adityanath said that Uttar Pradesh is leading in establishment of off-grid decentralized solar system plants such as Solar Street Light, Solar R.O. water plant, solar power pack, solar mini-grid power plant and solar high-mast. The off-grid decentralized solar system plant may prove to be effective in cheaper power supply in regions of the Far Eastern Russia, he added.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Trutnev, Governors of Russian states and representative from business fraternity were present during the occasion.