Medvedev arriving tomorrow; India, Russia to ink several pacts

"A number of agreements would be signed. A number of them are still being discussed... These agreements would in areas of space, economic and defence sectors," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vishnu Prakash told reporters.

The two sides are expected to sign over 15 pacts including ones on the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) and civil nuclear cooperation, Russian Ambassador to India Alexander M Kadakin had said.

The External Affairs Ministry said the two sides will also look at ways to expand cooperation in the field of hydrocarbons.

On Tuesday, Medvedev will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on a range of bilateral and regional matters, including situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, apart from global issues.

"The two countries have a similar perspective on the terrorism issue... India and Russia are also the members of the G-20 and work closely for reforms in international financial system," Prakash said.

Medvedev will meet President Pratibha Patil and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on Tuesday. Leader of opposition Sushma Swaraj, Vice President Hamid Ansari and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi will also call upon him.

On Wednesday, the Russian President will go to Agra and also to Mumbai where he will visit IIT, Powai and the Film City to know more about the Hindi film industry.

Asked if the agreement on the FGFA was going to be signed during the visit, Prakash said, "That is a long term project of advance manufacturing and it will have a number of milestones in it and we don't know whether one or two of them will be achieved during the meeting here."

Under the deal for the FGFA, likely to be worth over USD 30 billion, India is planning to co-develop and build an advanced fighter aircraft which will be similar or more advanced than the American F/A-22 Raptor.

Asked to comment on the issues raised by the Russians on the issue of liability clause in the nuclear deal, the spokesperson said the two sides had signed a framework agreement for nuclear cooperation during Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit in March this year.

"We see the current conversation for Kudankulam 3 and 4 and as part of the process.

This is purely a technical discussion between both sides and includes whole range of things including cost and liability and we hope that we will reach a resolution to all these issues," he said.

Realising this, the two sides have identified IT, pharma, diamonds and investments as the sectors in which the private sector could be involved to much greater extent.

The two countries are also discussing greater engagement in the hydrocarbon sector.
In this area, India has invested five billion dollars in Sakhalin-I and is now eyeing the Sakhalin-III oil and gas project in eastern Siberia.

India has conveyed its interest for exploration and development of Sakhalin-III and the two sides have been discussing the possibility of forming a joint venture between ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) and Russia's Rosneft.

Singh and Medvedev are also expected to discuss ways to counter the threat of terrorism, emanating from Pakistan and Afghanistan and of which both the countries are victims.

Reform of the United Nations, including the Security Council, and other global institutions would also be on the agenda of talks between the two leaders.

Medvedev will also travel to Mumbai. He last visited India in December 2008.