Vladimir Putin and Narendra Modi

Relations between Russia and India continue to develop the most favorable way. As evidenced by the private meeting of the leaders of the two countries and their involvement in the implementation of projects of business cooperation. For example, it was well illustrated by the meeting between the two leaders last year in Tashkent, and transfer to the first blog for Kudankulam NPP.

Last year in the framework of Vladimir Putin’s working visit to Uzbekistan to attend the anniversary SCO summit, the Russian president met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At this meeting the President of Russia noted in particular, than ‘India is our privileged strategic partner. Relations between our countries are built on long-standing traditions of friendship. This is fully reflected in our close and effective cooperation in economic and international affairs.

I am sincerely glad that in the course of the SCO summit today, India signed a memorandum of obligations as a step toward its status as a member of this organization. I am sure that the membership will happen in the very near future and that next year we will work with India within the framework of the SCO as a full member of this organization. This will give us an opportunity to work even more closely with our Indian friends now also within the SCO.

This year India has taken over the BRICS presidency. We are counting very much on your leadership in the organization and hope that India’s presidency will also help strengthen this widely recognized international organization, whose influence is steadily growing’.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in turn said then: ‘I would like to thank you for your constructive support of India’s membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Today, we launched the process of India’s acquiring full SCO membership. I know that you have played a highly constructive role and I thank you for this. All of this goes to show what it means for India to have a true friend. I thank you from the bottom of my heart’.

Also last year there was the event a very important for business relations of the two countries — inauguration ceremony of Unit 1 of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. The ceremony took place in videoconference format, and Vladimir Putin took part in the inauguration from the Kremlin (Moscow), Narendra Modi was in India on the inauguration ceremony.

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi said: «Today is indeed a special day. Today, Excellency Putin and I have the honour to dedicate Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1. I am particularly grateful to President Putin for his presence at this event. And I am delighted that Jayalalithaa ji, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, is also present with us on this occasion.

Friends, in dedicating Kudankulam 1, we mark another historic step in India-Russia relations. Its successful completion is not just another fine example of the strength of our special and privileged strategic partnership. It is also a celebration of our abiding friendship. And it is only a start of our collaboration in this field.

It is perhaps not commonly known that at 1,000 megawatt, Kudankulam 1 is the largest single unit of electrical power in India. In years ahead, we are determined to pursue an ambitious agenda of nuclear power generation. At Kudankulam alone, five more units of 1,000 megawatt each are planned. In our journey of cooperation, we plan to build a series of bigger nuclear power plants.

Friends, today’s event is also a joyful occasion for the team of Indian and Russian engineers, scientists and technicians. We salute their dedication and hard work and congratulate them for the fruits of their labour.

Friends, the story of human development has been of wide spread technological advancement and growing economic prosperity.

But, as we all know, it has not been without burden on our environment. I have a vision for India where achievements of our economic development are respectful to mother earth, and where the engines of our industrial growth are increasingly driven by clean energy. Kudankulam 1 is an important addition to India’s continuing efforts to scale up production of clean energy in India. It also signals our joint commitment to build pathways of partnership for green growth.

Excellency President Putin, the success of our joint efforts in nuclear power generation is a proud achievement of our cooperation. It demonstrates our common resolve to grown and build on new dimensions of our ties.

Above all, it showcases your personal commitment, consistent support and strong leadership in transforming the substance and character of our relationship. For this I am grateful to you, Mr President.

The people of India associate naturally and with great ease with the people of your great country. And personally, I have always deeply valued our friendship. It is, therefore, only fitting that today we join together to dedicate the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant unit one to the strength and vigour of our friendship and cooperation. Long live Indo-Russian friendship!’

Vladimir Putin said: ‘This is a big event for our Indian partner, for the Russian company that carried out this project, and for all of us. The power plant was built using the most advanced world technology, Russian technology, and was built by Russian and Indian specialists working together.

Cooperation in nuclear energy is an important part of the privileged strategic partnership between our countries. Our work together in this sector has great importance for our countries’ development. This is not just about building a nuclear power plant and putting it into operation, but is a large-scale project to develop a new high-tech nuclear sector in India. This work involves transfer of skills and training of personnel and specialists in this area.

Russia is well known as a leader on the international market for nuclear technology and services. The nuclear power plants built by Russian specialists are reliable and meet the very highest safety standards. We are sharing with our Indian colleagues our experience and developments in this priority high-tech sector.

Unit one is starting work at its nominal capacity and a second unit will also come on line in the not so distant future, and this will substantially boost India’s energy supply and bolster its economic position. Peaceful nuclear energy development will be essential for a vast, powerful and rapidly growing country like India to resolve its social and economic tasks.

Together with our Indian friends we have big plans in this sector. Work began on the power plant’s third and fourth units in February this year. We plan to sign a general framework agreement and loan protocol for the construction of the third stage of the project by the end of this year. I would like to remind you that this project is being carried out using funds provided by the Russian Federation. Of the total project financing, 85 percent is in the form of a state loan provided by Russia’.

In relations between the two countries is always important stability. Russia and India demonstrates this stability of friendly relations for many years. Any difficulties cannot stop our friendship and our business ties. At one of a bilateral meetings Vladimir Putin stressed:
‘As we all know, unfortunately, there has been a certain slump in our trade and economic cooperation. This is primarily due to external factors, of course: fluctuations in demand and supply, currency volatility. Therefore, our main task here is to use every opportunity to diversify Russian-Indian relations and to actively promote projects in such areas as high technologies, aviation and machine building, medicine and the diamond industry.

This is further promoted through regular contacts between Russia’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, between the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and the Confederation of Indian Industry. I would like to note that leading Russian companies have gained a strong foothold on the Indian market and are actively involved in upgrading the Indian production base and developing its infrastructure. Among them are Rosatom, Gazprom, Russian Railways, Silovyie Mashiny, Lukoil, Sistema, Rosneft and Renova’.