India Looks To Putin’S Visit To Lift Sagging Ties

[Purveyor]

In this picture dated July 17, 2014, Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin meet on th sidelines of the BRICS 2014 summit in Brazil. Mr. Putin will visit India next week.


India and Russia will look to trade to boost the sagging ties between the two countries when Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives here for a brief visit this week. Mr. Putin will land on December 10 and fly out within 24 hours the next day.

Mr. Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are likely to unveil two “vision documents” on strategic, nuclear and economic issues, and could possibly make a joint appearance at the World Diamond Congress being held here on December 11 and 12.

Mr. Putin’s visit is part of the annual bilateral summits instituted by him during his earlier term as President in 2000. However, he will not address a joint session of Parliament as he did that year. Sources said though India had invited him to deliver the speech, his “tight schedule” will not permit him to do so.
No Kudankulam visit

Mr. Putin will not visit the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, though Mr. Modi invited him when they met at the BRICS summit in Brazil in July.

Since July, the relationship between the two countries has been strained over India’s growing defence procurement from the U.S. even as Russia struggles with sanctions from the West. India is unhappy with Russia’s new defence cooperation agreement with Pakistan, which marks a significant shift from the past. In November, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu signed the agreement during a first-ever visit to Pakistan, and a Russian delegation took part for the first time in the Karachi Defence expo, which was held last week.

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