Auto Sector May Be Next Indo-Russian Focus

Indian PM Narendra Modi's meeting with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin saw talks touching on collaboration in the auto sector and review of progress in non-defense sectors like civil nuclear and petrochemicals.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the Russian Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin in Gandhinagar on Monday. Rogozin is heading a 60-strong delegation for the Vibrant Gujarat Summit.

"Discussions covered various areas including Rosneft's investment in the Vadinar refinery, cooperation in the automobile sector, discussions on cooperation between Astrakhan region and its sister State of Gujarat and the proposed visit of the Russian Industry Minister to Delhi in March. They also discussed the continuing progress in the civil nuclear energy sector. Rogozin reiterated President Putin's invitation to PM to visit Russia in 2017 which PM accepted with pleasure," Ministry of External Affairs sources told Sputnik.

During the meeting, Modi welcomed increasing Russian investment in various Indian states. Specifically in the context of his home state Gujarat, Modi wanted more cooperation in the areas of diamond cutting and polishing, dairy production and automobile sector.

Modi offered condolence on the dastardly killing of the Russian ambassador to Turkey and the loss of lives in the recent air crash of a Russian airliner. Rogozin conveyed special greetings of President Putin and PM Medvedev and assessed the recent India-Russia Summit and the BRICS meeting in Goa as very successful events. He also conveyed the Russian leadership’s full commitment to further strengthening the strategic partnership with India.