The spokesperson said both India and Russia shared common or near-to-common views on various issues and added that possibilities of economic cooperation between the two countries appeared very bright. Novosti quoted defence minister Igor Sergeev as saying, ``The triangle is not meant to become a military bloc and will by no means be spearheaded against third countries.'' He was also quoted by Moscow Radio as saying that he had, during his recent visit to China broached the concept of a power triangle involving India, China and Russia with his Chinese counterpart.

The proposed `triangle' could well contain prospects for buttressing stability in a vast and important region having a population of over three billion people, Sergeevsaid.

For a media now resigned to writing about the economic crisis in the country, Primakov's statement has come as manna. Commentaries in the media now focus upon the `triangle' concept and the government-owned daily Rossisskaya Gazeta in an article said ``Primakov has vocally stated what many politicians have been discussing behind closed doors.''

Analysing reasons for mooting the formation of a power-triangle, the daily says it might be because the United States seized the opportunity of an unexpected disintegration of the Soviet Union and decided that the era of an unipolar (American) world had set in.

It goes to say that the events in Iraq are `vivid proof' of Washington's designs to choose countries for punishment or pardon, even as it is pushing NATO eastward. The daily also describes the western military alliance as a `vestige of the cold war era.' ``Primakov never states anything without analysing. His mooting the `triangle' only means that US-Russian ties have reached a new stage. Theannouncement might be a propaganda, but its essence is not to be underestimated,' writes the daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta.