Russia 111215 Basic Political Developments

India to buy 42 upgraded Russian Su-30MKIs

http://rt.com/news/line/2011-12-15/#id23561
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will ink a deal on purchasing 42 upgraded Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft during his visit to Russia starting on Thursday, Indian media said. The agreement has been negotiated for more than a year because India wanted to include some of the features found in fifth-generation fighter aircraft. Russia will upgrade the SU-30 MKIs to its latest version known as “Super Sukhoi”, the Indian military sources say. Meanwhile, India’s current fleet of Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft has been temporarily grounded following a December 13 crash in Pune.

December 15, 2011 09:56

India, Russia already implemented about 500 joint scientific projects - Indian PM

http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?id=295246
DELHI. Dec 15 (Interfax) - India and Russia are implementing a large comprehensive long-term program for cooperation on science and technology, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said at a meeting with Russian journalists before flying out to Moscow.

This program "covers the full range of activities from basic research to developing industrial scale technologies in frontline areas such as nano-technology and biotechnology," he said.

"Together with Russian scientists and R&D institutions, 500 projects have been implemented so far in a large number of areas," Singh said.

In 2010, Russia and India signed another ten-year agreement in New Delhi, which gives "a fresh mandate" to create innovative technology-based partnerships, the Indian head of government said.

"A significant new feature of this programme is that it will implement joint mega projects in fields such as sustainable energy, affordable healthcare and informatics," he said.

"We would like to encourage much greater cooperation in these sectors among our industry associations," Singh said.

Both parties are working to introduce a system allowing to speed up the commercialization of laboratory research, the prime minister said. "Indian participation in the Skolkovo Innovation Center and the Skolkovo Fund has been discussed between the two sides," he said.

The Indian prime minister will be in Russia on a formal visit on December 15-17.

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Indian prime minister: India will fulfill all nuclear commitments to Russia

Today at 09:24 | Interfax-Ukraine

DELHI - The Russian-Indian nuclear cooperation will continue, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told Russian journalists before flying out to Moscow.

"We will fulfill our commitments (to Russia)," he said, when asked by Interfax whether the implementation of a large-scale Indian nuclear power program and the Russian-Indian plans in this sphere will be thwarted by the population's protests against the launch of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).

Singh will be in Russia on a formal visit on Dec. 15-17. Nuclear cooperation is expected to be among the most important topics to be discussed during the visit.

The agreement to build the second phase of the Kudankulam NPP was signed by Russia and India in 2010. Currently, Russia is completing the first phase of the plant, the physical launch of the NPP's power unit N1 was due before the end of 2011, but was postponed because of protests among the local population.

"The protests in Kudankulam reflect the concern among people about the safety of nuclear energy," in particular, in the ecological sphere, Singh said. Besides, people are worried that the NPP launch could reduce their livelihood, he said.

The government "takes these concerns seriously," the Indian prime minister said.

"We have set up an independent group of experts to respond to all the legitimate and genuine concerns and fears of the local people. If we have to develop nuclear energy in the country it is essential that it is done with the support of the people. In India we are giving the highest priority to nuclear safety. I know that the Russian leadership also has the same priority and has taken several initiatives, including in the international arena, which we welcome," Singh said.

"(India) has always regarded Russia as partner who was with us in times of difficulty and even when there were restrictions on nuclear commerce with India," he said, assessing Russia's role in the development and formation of the Indian nuclear industry.

"I wish to thank all the Russian experts who are working with us in the Kudankulam project," the Indian prime minister said.

Read more: http://www.kyivpost.com/news/russia/detail/118981/#ixzz1gaPuhqzq

December 15, 2011

Manmohan Singh: India and Russia cooperation has multidimensional scope

http://www.interfax.com/interview.asp?id=295250

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is visiting Moscow on December 15-17, has given an interview to Interfax ahead of his visit in which he speaks about the achievements and prospects of Indian-Russian cooperation.


Question: Your Excellency, we met two years ago before your last visit to Moscow for annual summit. How do you estimate the dynamics of our relations in the ever changing international context? At least do we manage to deal together with the main challenges of today?

Answer: As I said, our relations of cooperation have a multidimensional scope. There is a growing area of identification, of new thrust areas of cooperation. We cooperate at the bilateral level. We cooperate at the regional level like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. We cooperate at BRICS. We are now all five countries members of BRICS. BRICS provides an opportunity for India and Russia along with other members of the BRICS to discuss global issues, to discuss regional issues. Therefore, in the last two years we have added fresh dimensions to the programs of cooperation between our two countries. More recently what has been happening in North Africa, West Asia, and in Afghanistan and Iran, is a matter of concern both to Russia as well as to India. Exchange of information in all these areas is of great importance to our two countries working together to deal with these new challenges that are on the horizon. In the field of global economy, the Euro zone crisis has consequences for the entire world economy. Russia and India in BRICS and other bilateral forums can work together to explore new pathways of cooperation in the face of these uncertainties in the functioning of the global economy.

Q.: The recent protest movement in Tamil Nadu has been hampering the timely start-up of Kudankulam NPP. Do you believe that it will not hinder the large scale Indian atomic energy program, including implementation of Russian-Indian plans in this sphere?

A.: The protests in Kudankulam reflect the concern among people about the safety of nuclear energy. People are also worried that such plants should not affect their livelihood and environment.

The government takes these concerns seriously. We have set up an independent group of experts to respond to all the legitimate and genuine concerns and fears of the local people.

If we have to develop nuclear energy in the country, it is essential that it is done with the support of the people. In India we are giving the highest priority to nuclear safety. I know that the Russian leadership also has the same priority and has taken several initiatives, including in the international arena, which we welcome.

As far as India-Russia cooperation in the nuclear field is concerned, this will continue, and we will fulfill our commitments. India has always regarded Russia as partner who was with us in times of difficulty and even when there were restrictions on nuclear commerce with India. I wish to thank all the Russian experts who are working with us in the Kudankulam project.

Q.: One Indian proverb says that managing 1000 people is as hard as managing 3 persons. You have to manage the country of a billion population. What is the core of your approach and what are your main principles in managing this big and great India?

A.: India is a large country of great diversity and complexity. We are an ancient civilization but a young nation characterized by a vibrant economy.

Our task in government is to lift the millions of our countrymen out of poverty and to eradicate the scourge of illiteracy, hunger and disease. Our growth has to be balanced and inclusive, benefiting all sections of our society. At the international level, India cooperates with all countries to create an atmosphere that is conducive to meeting our national goals and realizing the aspirations of our people. We strive to build peace, stability and harmony in the world.

I consider it a deep honor and privilege to have the opportunity to serve the people of India as prime minister.

10:35 15/12/2011ALL NEWS

Russia’s WTO membership to spur cooperation within BRICS – Russian minister

http://www.itar-tass.com/en/c154/297857.html

GENEVA, December 15 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia’s membership in the World Trade Organization, or WTO, will spur joint efforts in the format of the BRICS (an acronym which stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), Russian Minister of Economic Development Elvira Nabiullina said on Wednesday.

She spoke at a meeting of BRICS foreign trade ministers, which was preceded the eighth ministerial conference of WTO member countries. The conference is expected to yield a protocol on Russia’s accession of the World Trade Organization.

The Russian minister expressed the hope that by mid-2012, after the protocol is ratified, Russia will become a full-fledged member of the organization. “Russia’s position will be well-balanced, constructive and targeting balanced results within multilateral WTO talks,” she said.

The BRICS ministers passed a joint statement where they stated the BRICS point of view on the state of the global trade system. According to Nabiullina, her BRICS colleagues hailed Russia’s entry to the World Trade Organization.

Russia’s WTO accession, in her words, “is a common achievement both of Russia and its BRICS partners which supported the soonest completion of the negotiating process.” Russia’s WTO membership will be beneficial both for Russian and BRICS businesses, she noted.

Russia’s membership of the World Trade Organization, which currently unites 153 world nations, “will encourage exchange of investments between Russia and its partners” as a result of “bigger investor trust to the economic course of the Russian government,” she stressed.