India and Russia to strengthen strategic partnership

India and Russia will strengthen their bilateral ties in crucial areas such as atomic energy,space and defence during this visit of Prime Minister Putin to India . Pavel Felgenhauer a Russian political and military analyst is of the view that Putin’s this visit is mostly about military aspects.Both the countries are mainly focused on the issue of stability in the Central Asia particularly Afghanistan.The talks are also likely to cover energy security and trade. The talks will also cover common strategic interest focusing on the security situation in Afghanistan but are also likely to extend on other global issues such as global financial crisis and climate change .Earlier , Russia and India agreed to a 10-year weapons deal that could be worth at least $10-billion. They are also building a modern supersonic stealth fighter aircraft. During Putin fifth visit to India.the delegation includes Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Sobyanin considered as a pointsman on India-Russia ties. Russia remains India’s major supplier of arms and military technology and is already engaged in building four nuclear reactors in India . The present focus would be on military agreements such as developing a military transport aircraft and supplying MiG-29K fighters. Of strategic interest would be the closure of talks on civilian and military utilization of the Russia Glonass (the Global Navigation Satellite System), the Russian equivalent of the U.S. Global Positioning System, as well as an agreement on cooperation in R&D on civil nuclear energy. MEA spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said "During the very successful visit of our Prime Minister to Russia last year in December,both the sides adopted a Joint Declaration on Deepening the Strategic Partnership to meet Global Challenges.' Ours is a truly multifaceted strategic partnership spanning a whole range of areas such as defence, nuclear energy, hydrocarbons, science and technology, space, economic and trade". Both countries are also expected to boost bilateral trade as neither has made a significant presence in each other's markets. India's state-run energy company, ONGC, has been trying to augment its position in Russia.Together Russia and India along with Brazil and China, are part of the so-called BRIC grouping of major developing economies trying to promote a multi-polar world not dominated by the United States.