Bilateral issues and terrorism will be high on the agenda of talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Russian President Vladimir Putin, scheduled to be held on the sidelines of G-8 summit of the leaders of most industrialised countries in St Petersburg from July 15-17.
Dr Singh will arrive in St Petersburg for his three-day visit for the 'outreach session' of the G-8 summit on July 16. He will participate in the meeting of the 'outreach countries' (India, China, South Africa, Mexico and Congo) on July 16.
The representatives of the outreach countries are expected to exchange their own views on various issues, including energy security, infectious diseases and education, before their participation in the meeting of G-8 leaders on July 17.
The prime minister will hold bilateral talks with President Putin, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Dr Singh will hold talks with the Russian president, immediately after the conclusion of the G-8 meeting. This will be President Putin's first meeting with any leader of the outreach countries following the G-8 summit.
"The two leaders will exchange views on bilateral ties, mainly the continuing cooperation between India and Russia, in the fields of defence, space, atomic energy, oil and gas which will be reviewed to give further thrust," a diplomatic source said adding, "very intensive exchanges" in defence between the two sides recently took place with Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal S P Tyagi, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash and Defence Secretary Sekhar Dutt visiting Russia.
The source said the recent terrorist serial train bomb blasts in Mumbai killing 200 people and the murder of Russian diplomats in Baghdad will figure prominently during the talks.
"This unscrupulous and monstrous crime can never be justified," President Putin said in his message of condolence to the prime minister and President. "The terrorists who are guilty of this cruel act must be severely punished," he said.
Dr Singh is also expected to take this opportunity to ask Putin to persuade the Nuclear Suppliers Group to open the door for civil nuclear cooperation with India, in view of its recent nuclear deal with the United States.
