16 december 2011

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh

Participants:
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin noted that relations between Russia and India continue to develop steadily. “Our bilateral trade has been growing, our political contacts have grown stronger, and new major projects have been emerging,” Vladimir Putin said.

Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Mr Prime Minister, friends, good afternoon. I’m glad to see you in Moscow.

Russian-Indian relations remain in essence the same, but they do develop, and they continue to develop steadily. Our bilateral trade has been growing, our political contacts have grown stronger, and new major projects have been emerging.

We are glad to see you, Mr Prime Minister, and your colleagues. I know that you are accompanied by a sizable, strong business delegation. I’m sure that your visit will undoubtedly promote the development of our inter-governmental relationships.

Welcome!

Manmohan Singh (via interpreter): Your Excellency, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and members of the Russian party. Mr Prime Minister, I thank you for this kind welcome speech. I’m glad to have this opportunity to meet with you again.

Mr Prime Minister, let me congratulate you, and the Russian people, on the successful parliamentary elections, and the victory of United Russia. I wish you success in the upcoming presidential elections in March 2012. We believe that you are a special friend of India, and the architect of a particular, privileged strategic partnership between our countries. During your successful visit to India last year, we proposed several initiatives, which gave an impetus to our bilateral cooperation. I’m glad to note that we have good relations, which are only advancing. We have already cooperated in such strategic fields as defence, nuclear energy, and space, and our cooperation is underpinned in fields such as hydrocarbons, steel, and diamonds.