New Delhi: India and Russia will sign a
framework agreement in civil nuclear field and three pacts in
defence sector during the three-day visit of Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh beginning on Sunday.
Singh will have wide-ranging talks with President
Dmitry Medvedev on bilateral issues and regional matters in
which the issue of terrorism emanating from Pakistan and
Afghanistan is expected to figure prominently.
After the talks, the two sides will sign an overarching
Inter-Governmental Civil Nuclear Agreement that will enable
the two countries to set up atomic reactors in each other`s
country.
The agreement also entails perennial supply of uranium
to Indian reactors and gives India the upfront right of
reprocessing of spent fuel, sources said here today.
It also contains provisions that could allow transfer
of Enrichment and Reprocessing Technology subject to certain
conditions.
"The Agreement to be signed with Russia is better than
the 123 Agreement signed with the US," a source said.
The two countries signed last year an agreement
providing for setting up of four additional Russian nuclear
plants in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu and some other places whose
venues were to be decided later.
That agreement was inked during Medvedev`s visit here.
During Singh`s sixth visit to Russia since 2004, the two
sides will also sign an Agreement on After Sales Support that
entails supplies of spare parts, etc., to the defence
equipment procured from Russia.
An Agreement on Military Technical Cooperation and a
pact on Supplement to Agreement on Multi-Role Transport
Aircraft will also be inked.
The two sides will also sign an agreement on extending
credit line and an MoU in the field of culture.
Singh and Medvedev will discuss the problem of terrorism
emanating from Pakistan and Afghanistan amid India`s hopes
that Russia, as a "great power", could convince Islamabad not
to use terror against New Delhi as an instrument of state
policy.
Ahead of his visit, Singh said, "We face in the
sub-continent the onset of terrorism aided, inspired and
instigated by our neighbour."
Singh and Medvedev will also discuss ways to tackle the
challenge posed by global economic recession. Both the
countries have been seeking reform of the international
institutions like the World Bank and IMF.
Singh will also meet Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
-PTI
