'My visit has renewed confidence in strength of India-Russian ties', says Manmohan Singh

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Thursday said Russia is a key strategic partner in many areas, including defence, energy and trade, and added that his visit has renewed his confidence in the strength of relationship between the two countries.

"My visit to Russia was primarily for the Annual Summit. Russia is, for us, a key strategic partner in many areas, including defence, energy and trade. We also have important convergences in a number of areas of regional and international interest. My visit has renewed my confidence in the strength of this relationship," he said.

Earlier on October 21, Manmohan Singh met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow for summit-level talks.

During his two-day visit, India and Russia reaffirmed their agreement on cooperation in the use of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes and the road map for the serial construction of the Russian designed Nuclear Power Plants in India.

The two sides expressed their commitment to further strengthen the ASEAN Regional Forum, a key tool for practical cooperation in maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, to increase its contribution to the global effort to combat terrorism and cross-border crime, including in the field of ICTs.

Both sides took note of the progress made in the field of joint design, development and production of high-technology military equipment and implementation of projects such as the construction of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft, multi-role transport aircraft and BrahMos supersonic missile, and agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of rocket, missile and naval technologies and weapon systems.