Agencies, New Delhi
India and Russia today resolved to go ahead with their plan to construct additional nuclear power plant units at Kudankulam and to set up Russian designed nuclear power plants at new sites.
A joint statement issued at the end of the India-Russia annual summit for which Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a day-long visit, said the two sides expressed their commitment to implement the agreement for construction of these plants signed on December 5, 2008 and March 12, 2010 respectively.
The two sides agreed to conclude expeditiously the negotiations on the techno-commercial offer for the construction of Units 3 and 4 of Kudankulam. The sides also reiterated their commitment to incorporating the best technology in construction of nuclear power plants with a view to ensuring and maintaining the highest safety standards.
The two sides said they would continue the implementation of the Inter-Governmental Agreement on Cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector signed on December 21. India reiterated its interest in equity participation through ONGC-OVL in existing and new projects in Siberia, Russia’s Far East and the Arctic Shelf.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the visiting Russian President stressed the importance of further progressing the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two countries.
They expressed satisfaction that the year 2012 was marked by an intense bilateral dialogue, regular top and high-level meetings and multifarious cultural activities to mark the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and the Russian Federation.
