Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said he considers India as a reliable partner and expressed confidence that both the countries will reach $100 billion in bilateral trade in the coming years. โIndia is among world’s major economies and is currently demonstrating an impressive rate of economic growth,โ he said.
“We hope that in the upcoming years we will reach 100 billion US dollars in mutual trade. It’s about 58 or 60 billion US dollars, but we have all the foundations to work more actively and to reach more ambitious goals. We are not only talking about our plans in energy, including nuclear energy. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) is now being constructed. New platforms will emerge in terms of hydrocarbons. We will be continuing to work together. We have one of the largest investment projects in the Indian economy, and we will be doing mutual investments,โ he said.
Glad that India is developing its relations with all countries: Putinย
Responding to the question of India-Russia relations in the redrawn geopolitical landscape, Russian President Vladimir Putin told, “I don’t think this is a case. We are glad that India is developing its relations with all the countries, it’s a great country, a large economy, the largest democracy, it is only natural that it develops economy in accordance with its interest with those countries that it deems necessary. Another thing is the US is trying to put pressure on India in some matters, for example, when it comes to cooperation with Russia. Everyone understands that putting pressure on Narendra Modi is detrimental for international relations, and for bilateral relations, doesn’t matter from where this pressure comes from. We don’t see any negative consequences… As of today, no serious repercussions emanating from the state of affairs, we are developing our ties with India, we deem India to be a reliable partner.”
Putin says India and Russia enjoy a special privileged strategic partnership
“We (India-Russia) enjoy a special privileged strategic partnership. That is how I characterise this relationship. It did not occur yesterday or one or five years ago. This is something we have been working on for decades. Back in 1947, when the Soviet Union established diplomatic relations with the Indian Republic, we have been doing everything to support the establishment of a new state, a new independent state. I’m glad to say that thanks to the hard work and the talent of the Indian people, India has made great and important achievements in its development,” he said.
“India is one of the leading economies of the world that shows the highest rates of economic growth. This is not something that comes out of the blue. This is a result of the hard work that the government has been doing under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi,” he said.
Putin callsย India a great nation and democracyย
He called India a great nation and democracy and said it pursues its national interests well. Putin added that Russia sees no negative consequences from India’s bilateral relations with any other country. He went on to say that the US is trying to pressure India including over cooperation with Russia; but it will resist such efforts.ย He said, โWe have all the foundation to work more actively towards achieving more ambitious goals in the economic front.โ
โIndia is among world’s major economies and is currently demonstrating an impressive rate of economic growth,โ he said. Putin also stated that Russia would continue to deepen ties with India despite geopolitical tensions surrounding Moscowโs global engagements. โWe have all the foundation to work more actively towards achieving more ambitious goals in the economic front,โ Putin said.
“It is useless to pressure Prime Minister Modi,” Putin said and added that India would resist external attempts to influence its cooperation with Russia. Putin also praised India’s economic performance, saying the country was demonstrating impressive growth and had firmly established itself among the world’s leading economies.
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