PM Manmohan Singh arrives in Russian capital

Seeking to cement bilateral strategic ties,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in Moscow on a three-day visit to Russia during which the two sides are expected to sign a framework agreement on civil nuclear cooperation and three defence pacts.

During his visit,Singh will review with President Dmitry Medvedev the status of bilateral cooperation,including in the key areas of defence,civil nuclear energy,space and hydrocarbons at the annual bilateral summit tomorrow.

“The Annual Summit is the principal mechanism for the advancement of our strategic partnership with Russia. This is a partnership based on the solid foundation of long-standing friendship,deep mutual trust and strong convergence of interests,” Singh said in New Delhi before leaving for Moscow.

He noted that over the years,Indo-Russian multifaceted cooperation has acquired greater depth and maturity through joint efforts. “We seek to strengthen these ties further.