MOSCOW, December 23 (Itar-Tass) — Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that Moscow and New Delhi have relations of really privileged character and sets the task for doubling bilateral trade with India by 2015.
In his article published in India’s daily The Hindu on the eve of his visit to New Delhi Putin emphasized that deepening of friendship and cooperation with India is among the top priorities of Russia’s foreign policy.
“We have every reason to say that our relations have really unique special and privileged character,” he wrote.
“India and Russia show an example of responsible leadership and collective actions in the international arena,” Putin noted. “We have a common goal – to make the world we live in more just, democratic and secure and to facilitate resolving global and regional problems, including the situation in the Middle East and North Africa, and in Afghanistan.”
He also pointed to the joint work in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and other international structures, especially within the framework of Russia’s presidency in the G20.
Putin believes that “joint steps in the international arena, participation in the development of rules of global trade and enhancing business, scientific and technological and humanitarian ties form the basis for achieving a new quality of partnership.”
The Russian leader recalled that “the trade turnover has overcome the consequences of global crisis, and in 2012 we expect to reach record numbers, over $10 billion.” “Our next goal is to reach $20 billion already by 2015,” he wrote.
He expressed confidence that “awareness-raising and educational projects should be more actively promoted and tourism and youth exchanges developed.”
“I am confident that summit talks will be constructive, as they always were, and their outcome will give a powerful impetus to strategic partnership for the benefit of our two countries and peoples, in the interests of peace and stability in Eurasia and on our common planet,” Putin noted.
Vladimir Putin outlined joint prospects for strategic partnership between India and Russia in the 21st century.
“These are deepening of cooperation in knowledge-intensive fields based on strong historic traditions, advancement of joint products to international markets, further increasing of the share of high value added products in the trade turnover, enhancing the role and effectiveness of Indian-Russian interaction in international affairs, and the widest possible realization of the potential of cultural and humanitarian contacts,” he concluded.