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elations with the strategic near neighbourhood of Eurasia continued apace and deepened further during the year.Indo-Russian relations are a matter of priority for both the sides. The year 2004-2005 witnessed a concerted effort to broaden and step up cooperation.
The 2nd session of Indo-Russian JWG on Combating International Terrorism was held in New Delhi on 8 April 2004. It attached special importance to strengthening bilateral mechanisms, in particular for exchange of information and sharing of experience in fight against international terrorism and strengthening cooperation in curbing the sources of financing of terrorism and the trafficking in Narcotics.
External Affairs Minister met the Russian Foreign Minister Mr. Sergei Lavrov on 1 July 2004 in Jakarta. Issues of regional and international concern, including the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, were discussed. Expressing satisfaction over the current status of India-Russia bilateral relations, they emphasized the prospects of further development of economic, scientific and technological ties. They also discussed intensifying cooperation in the fields of energy and space.
Mr. V.I. Trubnikov, the First Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation was appointed as the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to India. Shri. Kanwal Sibal, former Foreign Secretary was appointed as the Ambassador of India to the Russian Federation.
India congratulated the Russian Government for the successful conduct of the Presidential elections in Chechnya on 29 August 2004. Mr. Alu Alkhanov secured 73.48 per cent of the votes and was declared as the President of the Chechen Republic. The period under review witnessed a series of terrorist attacks in Russia. 10 people were killed and 51 injured in a suspected Chechen terrorist attack in Moscow on 31 August 2004.India condemned this act of terror and supported Russia’s efforts
in fighting terrorism. India also conveyed its condolences to the Russian Government over air-crashes involving two Russian aircrafts on 24 August 2004.
India resolutely condemned the terrorist attack in which a school was seized in Beslan by Chechen terrorists from 1-3 September 2004. This resulted in approximately 350 deaths, including of children. Rastrapatiji and PM sent messages of condolences to President Putin. PM also held a telephonic conversation with President Putin on 5 September 2004. External Affairs Minister signed the condolence book on 6 September 2004 at the Russian Embassy in Delhi. The Government of India announced medical assistance in aid of the victims of the Beslan tragedy through supplies of Indian medicines worth US$
50,000.
External Affairs Minister met Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Mr. Sergei Lavrov on 22 September 2004 on the sidelines of the 59th UN General Assembly.
They discussed a number of issues of bilateral, regional and international concern. The Foreign Minister of Russian Federation Mr. Sergei Lavrov visited India from 8-10 October 2004. During his visit, he called on PM and held meetings with External Affairs Minister and Raksha Mantri. The discussions focused on a wide-range of issues of bilateral, regional and international concern. Both sides underlined the importance of enhancing trade and economic cooperation, and agreed to identify and address all issues that were impeding the full realization of potential in bilateral relations. Foreign MInister Lavrov also addressed a business interactive session organized by CII on 9 October 2004.
The third trilateral meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India, Russia and China was held on 21 October 2004 at Almaty on the sidelines of the CICA Foreign Ministers’
meeting. The Foreign Ministers exchanged views on issues of international and regional importance, including the role of UN in restoration of peace and civilian order in Iraq and the issue of fight against international terrorism.
They also agreed to explore possibilities of trilateral economic cooperation.
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh meets President Vladimir Putin of Russia, in New Delhi, 3-5 December 2004.
Sprins Season color riod at the Mughal Gardens on the rear Court of Rashtrapati Bhawan.
(Photo: C. M. Bhandari)
The 10th session of the Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC) was held in New Delhi from 18-19 November 2004. The Russian side was led by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mr. Alexander Zhukov and the Indian side was led by External Affairs Minister Shri. K. Natwar Singh. Mr. Zhukov called on the President of India and met the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Commerce and Industry. Following the meeting, a Protocol was signed between the two co-chairmen.
Some of the important decisions taken during the Inter- Governmental Commission include, Indian assistance in the establishment of software parks in Russia, cooperation between Russian company Sudoimport and Magnum International Trading for construction of auxiliary fleet ships in India and the development of the Indo- Russian Joint Venture Company to produce Titanium Dioxide in Orissa.
Both the sides identified Energy, IT, Banking, Communications, Bio-Technology as new areas of growth.
Special emphasis will be given in expanding cooperation in thermal, hydro and nuclear energy for power production. Both the countries also supported development of cooperation between India and Russia with the purpose of participation of Indian and Russian companies in new Oil and Gas fields in Russia and third countries.
Agreement was also reached to hold the ‘Days of Indian Culture’ in Russia in September – October 2005 and develop cultural cooperation within the framework of Exchange Programme of ‘Days of the cities Moscow and Delhi’ in 2005-2006.
With a view to put a sharper focus on issues of mutual interest it was also decided to reduce the number of Working Groups and Sub Groups of the Inter- Governmental Commission from 23 to 5.
The Defence Minister of the Russian Federation Mr. Sergei Ivanov visited India from 30 November to 1 December 2004 in connection with the 4th session of the Indo- Russian Joint Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation.
At the invitation of PM, H.E Mr. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation visited India on 3-5 December 2004 for the fifth India-Russia Annual Summit. During the visit, a total of 11 documents were signed. They
include the Joint Declaration signed by the President of Russian Federation and Prime Minster of India and four Inter-governmental agreements covering the areas of Space, Consular and Regional cooperation. The Joint Declaration emphasizes the strategic partnership between India and Russia and notes the transformation in the global environment in the recent past. It stresses the need for a new international architecture based on a multi- polar world. A substantial and new emphasis on economic relations including the field of energy, IT and banking has been made. Six MoUs in Banking and Energy sectors were signed during the visit. In pursuance of the mutual desire to encourage practical areas of cooperation, the first Indo-Russian Round Table Seminar on IT was held in Bangalore on 3-4 December 2004 and the first Indo- Russian Seminar on Energy was held in New Delhi on 15 January 2005.
The first meeting of the Indo-Russian Group on draft Inter-Governmental Agreement on Reciprocal Protection of Intellectual Rights relating to Military-Technical Cooperation was held in New Delhi on 18-19 January 2005. The Third Meeting of the India-Russia Joint Working Group (JWG) on Combating International Terrorism was held in Moscow on 19-20 January 2005.
Both the sides reiterated that cooperation in combating international terrorism constitutes an important part of the strategic partnership between the two countries and exchanged views on the measures taken by both countries domestically as well as in the international arena to strengthen the war against terrorism. In order to give a practical orientation to the cooperation in this field, both the sides also agreed for targeted discussion on suppression of financing of terrorism in the near future.
The Indo-Russian foreign office consultation on Strategic Stability was held in New Delhi on 27 January 2005. Both sides exchanged views on issues of disarmament and prevention of proliferation of WMDs.
The Indo-Russian Agreement on visa-free travel by the holders of diplomatic and official passports signed during President Putin’s visit to India on 3 December 2004 came into force from 15 February 2005.
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India’s relationship with the countries of the region received a further boost during this period. High-level visits were exchanged on a regular basis. These were complemented by industrial and consumer goods exhibitions, besides visits of trade delegations. India’s
economic relations are therefore showing a continuing positive trend.
Cultural relations and media exchanges have further broadened the scope of India’s relations with the region.
As part of ‘Festival of India’ programme in three Central Asian countries, a painting exhibition – ‘Amrita Shergil revisited’ by contemporary women painters was held in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. A seminar on India and Central Asia was organized in Tashkent on 16 August 2004. A fashion show showcasing traditions of Indian jewellery and costumes by royal princes was held in Tashkent (20-21 August 2004) and in Almaty (25-26 August 2004).