Indian-Russian Partnership over next decade

New Delhi: Emphasizing that the time has come for a significant broad-basing of bilateral cooperation to carry the friendship between the countries to a qualitatively new level, President of Russian Vladimir V. Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi today agreed on a vision for strengthening the bilateral partnership over the next decade.

Both countries recognized that the special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia has been built on the strong foundation of mutual trust, bilateral understanding and unique people-to-people affinities.

India deeply values the monumental contributions made by Russia to its developmental and defence needs in the second half of the twentieth century. The Declaration on Strategic Partnership of 2000 and the annual summits it initiated has allowed both countries to redefine and strengthen their partnership in the 21st century.

The leaders expressed confidence that a strong bilateral strategic partnership advances the national interests of the two countries and contributes to a more stable and secure world order. The two countries have resolved to strengthen this partnership over the next decade through concrete initiatives in diverse areas and to make the bilateral institutional dialogue architecture more result-oriented and forward-looking.

While both leaders will continue to meet on the margins of multilateral events, the annual summits will review and supervise the progress in the realization of this vision.

President Putin arrived in New Delhi late last night on a two-day visit to attend the 15th India-Russia annual summit.

The India- Russia Annual Summit was initiated under President Putin's leadership during his visit to India in October 2000.

(ANI)