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Russia – a “tried and tested friend" of India: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as he leaves for Moscow
According to PTI, Terming Russia as a "tried and tested friend" of India, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday [8 May] said his discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin would aim at further consolidating relations of strategic partnership between the two countries.
"We attach the highest importance to our relations with Russia, which has been a tried and tested friend and has stood by us in times of need," he said before embarking on a three-day visit to Moscow.
The prime minister, who will attend celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the victory of Soviet forces over Germany during the Second World War, said he was looking forward to his meeting with Putin.
The discussions would aim at building upon the successful visit of Putin to India in December last year and further consolidating relations of strategic partnership between the two countries.
"The high momentum that characterize our relations will be further demonstrated by the fact that President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam will be paying a state visit to Moscow later this month," the Prime Minister said in a departure statement.
Observing that India would be present along with several other important countries at the commemorative event in Moscow, Singh said he hoped to use this opportunity to have meetings with a number of leaders, including presidents of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Romania.
Recalling the immense sacrifices made by Russia and other allied countries in defeating the forces of Fascism and Nazism in the Second World War, the prime minister said several thousand Indian troops also laid down their lives in this cause.
Singh would be among the very few world leaders including US President George Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao with whom Putin will have one-to-one meetings.
The prime minister's visit is part of continuation of a series of high-level exchanges in the last one year to carry forward the new momentum in bilateral relations.
Singh was seen off at his residence among others by Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Federal Ministers Arjun Singh and Shivraj Patil and top officials.
UN reforms are also likely to come up during Singh-Putin talks. Russia, one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, has extended its support to India's claim for a permanent seat.
the prime minister is likely to brief Putin on the outcome of his recent meeting with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and the steps taken to promote the peace process.
The threat posed by global terrorism may also come up. Both sides agree that there is no justification for terrorism which must be fought without compromise and wherever it exists.
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