Deccan Chronicle

India, Russia sign pact for two more N-units

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St Petersburg (Russia), June 1: India and Russia on Thursday signed the much-awaited agreement on setting up of two more units of a nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu and decided to give a “new direction” to the defence cooperatio­n between the two “great powers”.

The two countries also decided to hold the first triservice­s exercises, named ‘Indra-2017’, this year and start joint manufactur­ing of frigates, adding on to the co-production of Kamov-226 military helicopter­s.

These decisions were taken at the wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin here which covered issues like terrorism and increasing trade and investment.

Addressing the media jointly with Putin after the talks, Mr Modi said the relations between India and Russia have been unwavering, based on “mutual love, respect and strong trust”.

“From culture to security, our relations have been at par... We speak in one language,” he added.

He said the two leaders had decided to speed up the bilateral cooperatio­n in all fields, for which an ‘Action Plan’ has been devised.

Noting that India and Russia were celebratin­g the 70th anniversar­y of their relations, Mr Modi said there has been no impact on the ties in all these decades.

Mr Putin described the talks as substantiv­e and said the “partnershi­p is developing into strategic and privileged one”.

UNITS 5 AND 6 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power plant will be built by Nuclear Power Corporatio­n of India Ltd and Russia's Atomstroye­xport company.

Relations between India and Russia have been unwavering, based on mutual love, respect and strong trust... We speak in one language...” NARENDRA MODI Prime Minister

St Petersburg (Russia), June 1: India and Russia on Thursday signed the much-awaited agreement on setting up of two more units of a nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu and decided to give a “new direction” to the defence cooperatio­n between the two “great powers”.

A Joint Declaratio­n issued after the talks said that “the IndianRuss­ian special and privileged strategic partnershi­p is a unique relationsh­ip of mutual trust between two great powers.”

It said the relationsh­ip covers all areas of cooperatio­n, including in the spheres of political relations, security, trade and economy, military and technical field, energy, scientific, cultural and humanitari­an exchanges, and foreign policy.

The relationsh­ip helps promote national interests of both countries, and contribute­s to the establishm­ent of a more peaceful and just world order, the declaratio­n said. Among the major outcomes of the summit meeting was the signing of the agreement on setting up of Units 5 and 6 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant with the Russian help in TN, which Modi said will further strengthen the ties between the two countries.

The reactors will be built by India's Nuclear Power Corporatio­n of India Ltd (NPCIL) and Russia's Atomstroye­xport company, a subsidiary of Rosatom, the regulatory body of the Russian nuclear complex. Each of the two units will have a capacity to produce 1,000 MW of power.

The document titled ‘A vision for the 21st Century’ said economies of India and Russia complement each other in the energy sector and both countries will strive to build an “energy bridge”. — PTI

 ?? — PTI ?? Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi prior to their talks at the Internatio­nal Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Thursday.
— PTI Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi prior to their talks at the Internatio­nal Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Thursday.

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