India-Russia agree to expedite finalization of agreements on recognition of academic degrees

After talks on Monday between Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir V. Putin, both countries agreed to expedite the finalization of the intergovernmental agreements on recognition of education documents and academic degrees in the general and medical fields of study.

The two sides made a note of the constructive discussion in Moscow on October, 2013 on the issue of medical degrees.

In the domain of cultural cooperation, both countries, possessing a rich cultural heritage and guided by the centuries-old traditions of friendship, agreed to make extensive use of each other's culture and arts, and the mutual lively interest in these.

India and Russia expressed their satisfaction on the ongoing implementation of the Cultural Exchange Program 2013-2015 between the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, which was signed on December 24, 2012.

The two leaders also supported the prospect of further cooperation in the field of culture and the arts, including interaction between the major museums of both the countries.

Commending the high level of goodwill and mutual appreciation of culture at the people-to people level, the two leaders welcomed the increasing people-to-people contacts between the two countries, including the flow of tourists, which has increased by over 20 percent in each of the past two years.

The leaders recalled the Agreement for Cooperation between States and Regions of India and Russia (2000) and expressed support for enhancing inter-regional exchanges between the two countries.

In an attempt to promote multifaceted engagement in economy, culture, health, education and public policy at a sub-regional level between the two countries, the leaders also encouraged city-to-city and sister-cities cooperation.

The two leaders also appreciated the organisation of the Festival of Russian Culture in India in 2012 and the ongoing Festival of Indian Culture in Russia in 2013. Both leaders agreed to continue holding regular Russian and Indian cultural festivals in their respective countries.