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IndialookstoPutinsvisittoliftsaggingties
Suhasini Haidar

India and Russia will look to trade to boost the sagging ties between the two countries when Russian President
Vladimir Putin arrives here for a brief visit this week. Mr. Putin will land on December 10 and fly out within 24 hours
the next day.
Mr. Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are likely to unveil two vision documents on strategic, nuclear and
economic issues, and could possibly make a joint appearance at the World Diamond Congress being held here on
December 11 and 12.
Mr. Putins visit is part of the annual bilateral summits instituted by him during his earlier term as President in 2000.
However, he will not address a joint session of Parliament as he did that year. Sources said though India had invited
him to deliver the speech, his tight schedule will not permit him to do so.
NoKudankulamvisit
Mr. Putin will not visit the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, though Mr. Modi invited him when they met at the
BRICS summit in Brazil in July.
Since July, the relationship between the two countries has been strained over Indias growing defence procurement
from the U.S. even as Russia struggles with sanctions from the West. India is unhappy with Russias new defence
cooperation agreement with Pakistan, which marks a significant shift from the past. In November, Russian Defence
Minister Sergei Shoigu signed the agreement during a first-ever visit to Pakistan, and a Russian delegation took part for
the first time in the Karachi Defence expo, which was held last week.
While officials refused to comment on the impact of these on Mr. Putins visit, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson
Syed Akbaruddin called it obviously significant, adding India has noted that Russia, like other countries, has chosen
to improve defence cooperation with our neighbour, thereby marking a shift from the special relationship with
India. At a time when Mr. Putin is being isolated by the U.S. and its allies over operations in Ukraine, Indias surprise
invitation to U.S. President Barack Obama to be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade in January has not gone
unnoticed in Moscow.
Freetradepact
In the run-up to this visit, Mr. Putins point person for India and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin visited Delhi
to discuss ways of boosting bilateral trade. With just $10 billion in bilateral trade in 2013, India and Russia are not
expected to meet their target of $15 billion by 2015, but both sides are talking about a free trade agreement with the
Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus as well as join energy exploration in Russian gas fields.
Sources said the two sides were likely to announce a big partnership between Russian companies that were the biggest
exporters of rough-cut diamonds and Indian diamond companies, the largest importers.
India and Russia are like to sign nearly 15 agreements in defence, nuclear energy, customs, banking and energy.
TraditionalrelationsunderstrainoverRussiaPakistan,IndiaU.S.bonhomie