India and Russia Strengthen Military, Trade Ties

India and Russia Strengthen Military, Trade Ties

India and Russia plan to strengthen long-standing military and trade ties ahead of a trip by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to New Delhi next month.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov flew to the Indian capital to prepare for Medvedev's December 21-22 meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"Our discussions concentrated on the visit of the Russian president and our intention is to sign many documents on trade, economy, outer space and military issues," Lavrov said after meeting with Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna.

Lavrov's announcement came a month after India agreed to buy 300 fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) from Russia that it will help jointly develop and manufacture. Each 30-ton FGFA is quoted to be roughly US$100 million.

Russian experts have said the country's troubled defense industry would be helped significantly by India's purchase.

Though Lavrov didn't provide additional details on future agreements, Indian Foreign Minister Krishna said the two countries "were on the same page."

"Our relations with Russia are a key foreign policy priority for us and has remained in focus in the past weeks," he said, adding that defense cooperation between the two strategic partners would continue.

The draft agreement for the FGFA project is likely to be signed during Medvedev's trip in December, military experts say.

This past September, India and Russia signed a separate pact to develop a multi-role transport aircraft worth US$645 million.

Moscow is New Delhi's largest military supplier, but recent friction resulting from price escalations and delays in the delivery of a refurbished Russian aircraft carrier have slightly strained bilateral ties.

In recent months, many nations ranging from Oman and Japan to the United States have sought to strengthen their ties with the world's largest democracy, either in the form of supporting its bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, or inking a bilateral free-trade agreement.

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