Giving a fillip to their ties, India and Russia today signed 19 pacts, including three in civil nuclear field and one for purchase of 29 MiG-29 fighters besides inking the revised agreement on Gorshkov aircraft carrier, a deal that was stuck for three years over price.
Under the agreements in civil nuclear field, Russia will build 12 atomic plants -- six in Kudankulam and six in Haripur in West Bengal.
The agreements were signed during the day-long visit of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin who held comprehensive talks with his counterpart Manmohan Singh with an aim of exploring opportunities for further boosting the relations.
They also discussed regional issues, including Afghanistan and Pakistan, in the context of terrorism and agreed to intensify their consultations on Afghanistan the challenges posed by terrorism and extremism in the region.
The pacts in civil nuclear field are Agreement on Cooperation in the use of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes and Agreement on Road Map for the Serial Construction of Russian Designed Nuclear Power Plants.
An MoU was also signed on Nuclear Power between NPCIL and Atomstroy Export for construction of Third and Fourth atomic plant in Kudankulum in Tamil Nadu.
The revised agreement on Gorshkov aircraft carrier deal was also signed during the visit. The deal had initially been signed in 2004 at the cost of $ 1.5 billion, along with 16 MiG-29Ks.
However, the Russians later demanded $ 2.9 billion, citing escalation of costs. After protracted negotiations, the two sides settled at $ 2.34 billion.
The two sides also signed an agreement for sale of MiG-29K aircraft carrier-based fighters by Russia to India under a $ 1.5 billion contract.
The supplies are scheduled to start in 2012. An agreement was also signed in the military aviation sector. In hydrocarbon sector, an agreement on Protocol of Cooperation was signed between Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and Russia's Gazprom.
A MoU was signed between ISRO and Russia's Federal Space Agency and JSC Navigation Information Systems for a joint enterprise for production of Satellite Navigation Equipment and Services for Civilian Users.
Two pacts were signed in the field of fertilisers and five pacts were signed in diamond sector. Describing the outcome of Putin's visit as 'rich and very substantive,' Singh said he had told the visiting Prime Minister that relations with Russia are 'a key pillar of our foreign policy and we regard Russia as a trusted and reliable strategic partner.'
"Ours is a relationship that not only stands independent of any other but whose significance has grown over time," he said.
Reciprocating the sentiments, Putin noted that unlike many other countries, Russia does not have any military cooperation with Pakistan because 'we bear in mind the concerns of our Indian friends" with regard to terrorism.'
