Press Release

Visit of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Sergei Sobyanin to India

09/11/2009

Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Co-Chairman of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) H.E. Sergei Sobyanin is on his maiden visit to India from 9-12 November 2009. On Monday (November 9), he was hosted for a meeting by External Affairs Minister Shri S.M. Krishna, who is also the Indian Co-Chairman of IRIGC-TEC. This is the second meeting between External Affairs Minister and Mr. Sobyanin in less than a month. External Affairs Minister visited Moscow for the 15th session of the IRIGC-TEC meeting on 21 October 2009.

2. Both sides reviewed cooperation in a number of priority sectors such as nuclear energy; space research; high technology; information and communications technology; and pharmaceuticals. They also discussed ways and means of enhancing cooperation in these areas for strengthening bilateral trade and investment relations.

3. Mr. Sobyanin also called on Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, and is scheduled to meet Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Anand Sharma and Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Murli Deora to discuss issues of mutual interest.

4. The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister is also visiting Bengaluru where he will visit the facilities of Infosys and will have interactions with business leaders. Mr. Sobyanin further proposes to visit Kudankulam to get a first hand account of the civilian nuclear facilities being developed with Russian cooperation there.

New Delhi
November 9, 2009