Indian Prime Minster Modi paid official visit to Russia to attend 18th India-Russia Annual Summit in June 2017. There he held official meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Both leaders marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries and noted that the Indian-Russian special and privileged strategic partnership is a unique relationship of mutual trust between two great powers.
This partnership was further elevated to the level of a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership on 21 December 2010.
‘Saint Petersburg Declaration’ was adopted after the annual summit.
Following are the Highlights of ‘Saint Petersburg Declaration’:
The economies of India and Russia complement each other in the energy sector. Both nations will strive to build an “Energy Bridge” between our States and expand bilateral relations in all areas of energy cooperation, including nuclear, hydrocarbon, hydel and renewable energy sources and in improving energy efficiency.
Leaders welcomed the conclusion of the General Framework Agreement and Credit Protocol for Units 5 and 6 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.
India and Russia commit themselves to earnestly implement the “Programme of Action for Localization in India” signed on 24 December 2015, and to encourage their nuclear industries to engage closely and foster concrete collaborations.
Both nations will continue holding regular joint land and sea military exercises, and training in each others’ military institutions. This year will see the first ever Tri-services exercise INDRA–2017.
Russia welcomed India’s applications for the membership in Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement and reiterates its strong support for India’s earliest admission to these export control regimes.
Both nations recognize the necessity to activate bilateral interaction in this sphere on the basis of the Indian-Russian Intergovernmental Agreement on Cooperation in the field of Security in the use of Information and Communication Technologies.
Following MOUs/Agreements were signed during 18th India-Russia Annual Summit:
1 Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 2017-2019
2 Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) Access Agreement
3 General Framework Agreement between Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited and Joint Stock Company ‘ATOMSTROYEXPORT’ for the implementation of Units 5 & 6 of ‘Kudankulam’ Nuclear Power Plant
4 Memorandum of Cooperation between the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council of India and Public Joint Stock Company ‘ALROSA’
5 Agreement for the Nagpur-Secunderabad Semi High Speed Execution Study in India between the Ministry of Railways of the Republic of India and the Joint Stock Company ‘Russian Railways’
Documents signed on the sidelines of the 18th India-Russia Annual Summit:
1 Protocol No.2 to the Agreement dated December 5, 2008 between India and Russia
2 Agreement between Heavy Engineering Corporation Limited and Joint Stock Company “Cascade – Technologies” for setting up of a Special Purpose Vehicle for railways
3 Memorandum of Understanding between SREI Infrastructure Finance Limited and State Corporation ‘Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)’ on Russian export support and participation in the development of India-Russia capital goods financing/leasing business
4 Agreement on Cooperation between ‘JITF Urban Infrastructure Services Limited’ (Republic of India), ‘Jindal Rail Infrastructure Limited’ (Republic of India), Joint Stock Company ‘Russian Export Centre’ (Russian Federation), and Limited Liability Company Management Company ‘RailTransHolding’ (Russian Federation)
5 Memorandum of Understanding between National Investment Promotion Agency ‘Invest India’ and the Business Council for Cooperation with India concerning the promotion of investment in India and Russia
6 Cooperation Agreement between National Investment Promotion Agency ‘Invest India’ and the Roscongress Foundation
7 Memorandum of Understanding between ‘Sun Group Private Limited’ and Joint Stock Company ‘Pribor’