Vladivostok/New Delhi: On the eve of his summit talks with Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said he shared a "special chemistry" with the Russian President and is keen on technology transfers so that the two sides can make military equipment in India at cheaper rates for export to third countries.
Modi, the first Prime Minister to visit Russia's far-eastern city of Vladivostok, is due to hold wide-ranging talks with Putin on Wednesday ahead of his departure to the Russian port city. Modi said he looked forward to discussing regional and international issues of mutual interest with Putin in Vladivostok, where he will also attend the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).
"I look forward to discussing with my friend President Putin the entire gamut of our bilateral partnership as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest," Modi said in his departure statement ahead of his two-day visit beginning Wednesday.
In Vladivostok, Modi will participate as the chief guest at the 5th Eastern Economic Forum at Putin's invitation. He will also hold the 20th India-Russia Annual Summit with Putin.
"I also look forward to meeting other global leaders attending the Eastern Economic Forum, and interacting with Indian Industry and business representatives participating in it," Modi said.
The forum focuses on development of business and investment opportunities in the Russian Far East Region, and presents enormous potential for developing close and mutually beneficial cooperation between India and Russia in the region, he pointed out.
"Our two countries enjoy excellent relations, based on the strong foundation of our special and privileged strategic partnership. Both countries cooperate extensively in the strategic fields of defence, civil nuclear energy and peaceful uses of space. We have robust and growing trade and investment relations. Our strong partnership is complemented by a desire to promote a multi-polar world and the two countries closely cooperate towards this end in regional and multilateral fora," Modi said.
A new chapter in our Special & Privileged Strategic PartnershipPM @narendramodi departs for Vladivostok, the 1st visit by an Indian PM to Russian Far East, for 20th India-Russia Annual Summit. On a special invitation from Prez Putin, PM will also attend 5th EEF as Chief Guest pic.twitter.com/LO0drviDsw— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) September 3, 2019
Russia and India are set to sign about 15 documents, including some in the military-technical sectors, within the framework of the 20th Russian-Indian summit, a report in Russia's state-run TASS news agency said.
The Russian-Indian partnership has gone beyond the framework of military and technical cooperation, Modi told TASS in an interview. "We are close friends. And as close friends, we should think about what we can do together in the future," he said.
"We don't want to be limited just to relations between the customer and the seller of military technologies. We are sure about the model of transferring technologies. I have said several times about this and we have even started moving in this direction," Modi said.
Speaking about India's manned space mission — the Gaganyaan project — Modi said Russia will help train the country's astronauts.
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