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Indian Ambassador to Russia: New Delhi will not refuse to purchase S-400
June 8, 10:00UTC + 3
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Ambassador of India to Russia Pankaj Saran
© Sergey Fadeichev / TASS
In an interview with TASS, Indian Ambassador to Russia Pankaj Saran, recently appointed deputy national security adviser, spoke about the S-400 negotiations, the situation with the FGFA project and the prospects for cooperation in nuclear energy in third countries. He also explained why the summit of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Sochi can be called historical and what is the meaning of New Delhi in the concept of the Indo-Pacific region.
- Mr. Ambassador, in late May in Sochi, the first ever informal summit was held in the history of Russian-Indian relations. What was the reason for the convocation of an extraordinary meeting?
- I would call this summit a historic event. For the first time, most of the time, President Putin and Prime Minister Modi spent without delegations, in an informal atmosphere. They visited the children's educational center "Sirius", the cultural and ethnographic center in Krasnaya Polyana and held very productive negotiations. This summit showed a special warmth in the relations of the two leaders.
Today, relations between Russia and India are important not only for ourselves, but also for the regions where our countries are located, as well as the entire international community
The convening of the extraordinary meeting was due to the fact that the parties wanted to exchange views on key global and regional issues, including the development of the situation in Afghanistan, Syria and Iran, as well as to consider some bilateral issues. Today, relations between Russia and India are important not only for ourselves, but also for the regions where our countries are located, as well as the entire world community. And we want to build a multipolar world, where India and Russia will contribute to global stability.
- In a statement of the Indian Foreign Ministry following the talks, it was noted that the parties agreed to intensify consultations and coordination on the issues of the Indo-Pacific region (TIR). How could you comment on this given that Russian officials have criticized the concept of engineering in the light of the resumption of the quadrilateral strategic dialogue between the United States, India, Japan and Australia?
- It is important not to confuse the Indo-Pacific region and the quadrilateral format. The essence of the concept of engineering was laid out by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech at the security conference "Shangri-la Dialogue" on June 1 in Singapore. The Indian vision of the ITP is positive. The concept is open and inclusive, it is not directed against any country and is not aimed at deterrence.
An expanding partnership with Russia is an integral part of our Indo-Pacific policy. Speaking in Singapore, the Prime Minister mentioned that during their meeting with President Putin they discussed the importance of establishing a lasting multi-polar world. He also noted that the maturity of a particularly privileged strategic partnership with Russia is evidence of India's "strategic autonomy".
The US-Japan-India-Australia quadrilateral format is one of many multilateral dialogues in the region that is not directed against anyone. It is not part of the concept of the Indo-Pacific region, about which the Prime Minister spoke at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
- Have the S-400 SAM systems been discussed at an informal summit on the supply of SAMs to India? Can pressure from the US influence contract negotiations?
- The topic of the PTS was discussed at a meeting of the leaders. We are committed to all our agreements in this area, including the purchase of the S-400. India and Russia have a long history of military-technical cooperation, based on trust and mutual benefit. There have been no changes in New Delhi's approach to this area of our partnership.
- Is it possible to expect the signing of an agreement on the supply of S-400 at the summit at the end of the year?
- I would not like to set a time frame. I can say that we have made significant progress in the negotiations.
- Previously, the media reported that India withdrew from the joint project with Russia to build a fifth generation FGFA (Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft) fighter. Can you confirm this?
- I can only say that the negotiations are continuing, thanks to which there is already a clearer understanding of each other's priorities and plans for the future.
- Is the date of the annual bilateral summit agreed?
- The dates have not yet been announced, but we expect the summit to be held in October in India.
- What other meetings are planned in the coming months?
"Prior to the 19th annual summit, we expect to hold meetings of intergovernmental commissions on trade, economic, military and military-technical cooperation, as well as working groups within these commissions. Other meetings are possible at a high level. The leaders of Russia and India will meet at various multilateral venues, including the G20, the SCO, the BRICS and the East Asian Summit. This year will also host the first Russian-Indian summit on innovation and start-ups.
India and Russia have a long history of military-technical cooperation, based on trust and mutual benefit
In addition, we will launch a strategic economic dialogue between the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation and the National Institute of Transformation of India (NITI Aayog). This is a new initiative, an agreement on which was reached at the summit in late May. Unlike intergovernmental commissions, where practical issues are resolved, the priorities of economic policies of both countries, macroeconomic issues, strategic priorities of bilateral cooperation, including agriculture, finance, infrastructure, small and medium business will be discussed in the dialogue. One of the challenges remains insufficient attention to the economic component of our partnership. We hope that dialogue will help to solve this problem.
- Are the dates and venue of the dialogue already determined? Who will lead the Russian and Indian delegations?
- Now we are working on its format and agenda. If all the preparatory work is completed, the dialogue will take place until the next summit, most likely in St. Petersburg.
We expect that from the Indian side the dialogue will be headed by the vice-chairman of the National Institute of the Transformation of India Rajiv Kumar. It should be noted that the chairman of the Institute is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that is, this is a very high level. It is planned that the Russian side will be headed by the Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin.
- How do you assess the dynamics of the development of Russian-Indian economic relations in the current year?
- I think that the dynamics was positive. The Minister of Trade and Industry of India, Suresh Prabhu, took part in the SPIEF. In the course of productive meetings with the Vice-Premier - Plenipotentiary Envoy of the President of the Russian Federation in the Far East Federal District Yuri Trutnev, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin, Transport Minister Yevgeny Dietrich, Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, the parties identified promising areas for further development of cooperation, such as agriculture, fertilizers, mineral resources, gold mining, diamond industry, civil aircraft construction, etc. We also would like to cooperate in the field of transport and logistics and invite Russian companies participate in the construction of industrial corridors in India.
Regarding the energy sector, I would like to note that India the other day received the first LNG lot for a long-term contract for the supply of 2.85 million tonnes of LNG per year. This is a historic stage in the creation of an energy bridge between India and Russia.
According to our data, last year bilateral trade increased by 20%. This growth was mainly due to an increase in exports from Russia to India of petroleum products, fertilizers, as well as equipment for nuclear power plants.
- I would like to raise the issue of the construction of the Ruppur NPP in Bangladesh. In what form will India participate in the project? Do Moscow and Delhi consider the possibility of implementing other joint projects in third countries?
- The tripartite agreement deals with various options for India's participation in the Ruppur NPP project, including training of personnel, participation in construction work, supply of equipment, and security. Companies will have to negotiate in order to decide in which form the cooperation will be implemented. As for the second question, the answer is yes. The two sides agree that India and Russia can work together in third countries in various fields, including nuclear energy and oil and gas. Negotiations are still at the initial stage.
Interviewed by Leyla Turayanova
Подробнее на ТАСС:
http://tass.ru/opinions/interviews/5274171
June 8, 10:00UTC + 3
Share this
Ambassador of India to Russia Pankaj Saran
© Sergey Fadeichev / TASS
In an interview with TASS, Indian Ambassador to Russia Pankaj Saran, recently appointed deputy national security adviser, spoke about the S-400 negotiations, the situation with the FGFA project and the prospects for cooperation in nuclear energy in third countries. He also explained why the summit of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Sochi can be called historical and what is the meaning of New Delhi in the concept of the Indo-Pacific region.
- Mr. Ambassador, in late May in Sochi, the first ever informal summit was held in the history of Russian-Indian relations. What was the reason for the convocation of an extraordinary meeting?
- I would call this summit a historic event. For the first time, most of the time, President Putin and Prime Minister Modi spent without delegations, in an informal atmosphere. They visited the children's educational center "Sirius", the cultural and ethnographic center in Krasnaya Polyana and held very productive negotiations. This summit showed a special warmth in the relations of the two leaders.
Today, relations between Russia and India are important not only for ourselves, but also for the regions where our countries are located, as well as the entire international community
The convening of the extraordinary meeting was due to the fact that the parties wanted to exchange views on key global and regional issues, including the development of the situation in Afghanistan, Syria and Iran, as well as to consider some bilateral issues. Today, relations between Russia and India are important not only for ourselves, but also for the regions where our countries are located, as well as the entire world community. And we want to build a multipolar world, where India and Russia will contribute to global stability.
- In a statement of the Indian Foreign Ministry following the talks, it was noted that the parties agreed to intensify consultations and coordination on the issues of the Indo-Pacific region (TIR). How could you comment on this given that Russian officials have criticized the concept of engineering in the light of the resumption of the quadrilateral strategic dialogue between the United States, India, Japan and Australia?
- It is important not to confuse the Indo-Pacific region and the quadrilateral format. The essence of the concept of engineering was laid out by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech at the security conference "Shangri-la Dialogue" on June 1 in Singapore. The Indian vision of the ITP is positive. The concept is open and inclusive, it is not directed against any country and is not aimed at deterrence.
An expanding partnership with Russia is an integral part of our Indo-Pacific policy. Speaking in Singapore, the Prime Minister mentioned that during their meeting with President Putin they discussed the importance of establishing a lasting multi-polar world. He also noted that the maturity of a particularly privileged strategic partnership with Russia is evidence of India's "strategic autonomy".
The US-Japan-India-Australia quadrilateral format is one of many multilateral dialogues in the region that is not directed against anyone. It is not part of the concept of the Indo-Pacific region, about which the Prime Minister spoke at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
- Have the S-400 SAM systems been discussed at an informal summit on the supply of SAMs to India? Can pressure from the US influence contract negotiations?
- The topic of the PTS was discussed at a meeting of the leaders. We are committed to all our agreements in this area, including the purchase of the S-400. India and Russia have a long history of military-technical cooperation, based on trust and mutual benefit. There have been no changes in New Delhi's approach to this area of our partnership.
- Is it possible to expect the signing of an agreement on the supply of S-400 at the summit at the end of the year?
- I would not like to set a time frame. I can say that we have made significant progress in the negotiations.
- Previously, the media reported that India withdrew from the joint project with Russia to build a fifth generation FGFA (Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft) fighter. Can you confirm this?
- I can only say that the negotiations are continuing, thanks to which there is already a clearer understanding of each other's priorities and plans for the future.
- Is the date of the annual bilateral summit agreed?
- The dates have not yet been announced, but we expect the summit to be held in October in India.
- What other meetings are planned in the coming months?
"Prior to the 19th annual summit, we expect to hold meetings of intergovernmental commissions on trade, economic, military and military-technical cooperation, as well as working groups within these commissions. Other meetings are possible at a high level. The leaders of Russia and India will meet at various multilateral venues, including the G20, the SCO, the BRICS and the East Asian Summit. This year will also host the first Russian-Indian summit on innovation and start-ups.
India and Russia have a long history of military-technical cooperation, based on trust and mutual benefit
In addition, we will launch a strategic economic dialogue between the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation and the National Institute of Transformation of India (NITI Aayog). This is a new initiative, an agreement on which was reached at the summit in late May. Unlike intergovernmental commissions, where practical issues are resolved, the priorities of economic policies of both countries, macroeconomic issues, strategic priorities of bilateral cooperation, including agriculture, finance, infrastructure, small and medium business will be discussed in the dialogue. One of the challenges remains insufficient attention to the economic component of our partnership. We hope that dialogue will help to solve this problem.
- Are the dates and venue of the dialogue already determined? Who will lead the Russian and Indian delegations?
- Now we are working on its format and agenda. If all the preparatory work is completed, the dialogue will take place until the next summit, most likely in St. Petersburg.
We expect that from the Indian side the dialogue will be headed by the vice-chairman of the National Institute of the Transformation of India Rajiv Kumar. It should be noted that the chairman of the Institute is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that is, this is a very high level. It is planned that the Russian side will be headed by the Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin.
- How do you assess the dynamics of the development of Russian-Indian economic relations in the current year?
- I think that the dynamics was positive. The Minister of Trade and Industry of India, Suresh Prabhu, took part in the SPIEF. In the course of productive meetings with the Vice-Premier - Plenipotentiary Envoy of the President of the Russian Federation in the Far East Federal District Yuri Trutnev, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin, Transport Minister Yevgeny Dietrich, Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, the parties identified promising areas for further development of cooperation, such as agriculture, fertilizers, mineral resources, gold mining, diamond industry, civil aircraft construction, etc. We also would like to cooperate in the field of transport and logistics and invite Russian companies participate in the construction of industrial corridors in India.
Regarding the energy sector, I would like to note that India the other day received the first LNG lot for a long-term contract for the supply of 2.85 million tonnes of LNG per year. This is a historic stage in the creation of an energy bridge between India and Russia.
According to our data, last year bilateral trade increased by 20%. This growth was mainly due to an increase in exports from Russia to India of petroleum products, fertilizers, as well as equipment for nuclear power plants.
- I would like to raise the issue of the construction of the Ruppur NPP in Bangladesh. In what form will India participate in the project? Do Moscow and Delhi consider the possibility of implementing other joint projects in third countries?
- The tripartite agreement deals with various options for India's participation in the Ruppur NPP project, including training of personnel, participation in construction work, supply of equipment, and security. Companies will have to negotiate in order to decide in which form the cooperation will be implemented. As for the second question, the answer is yes. The two sides agree that India and Russia can work together in third countries in various fields, including nuclear energy and oil and gas. Negotiations are still at the initial stage.
Interviewed by Leyla Turayanova
Подробнее на ТАСС:
http://tass.ru/opinions/interviews/5274171
