India and Russia on Friday called upon all countries to work towards lessening global tensions and promoting the ideals of tolerance, cooperation, transparency and openness in inter-state relations.
In a joint statement issued after their 19th Annual Bilateral Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin called for putting a lid to terror funding and support. Denouncing terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, the two sides reiterated the need to combat international terrorism with decisive and collective response without any double standards.
In the joint statement, termed as 'India-Russia: an Enduring Partnership in a Changing World', the two sides agreed to converge their efforts to eradicate terrorist networks, sources of financing, arms and fighters supply channels, to counter terrorist ideology, propaganda and recruitment.
"The two sides condemned all kinds of state support to terrorists including cross border terrorism and providing safe havens to terrorists and their network. Recognising the importance of adopting the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, pending in the United Nations, to become part of the international law, both sides called upon the international community to make sincere efforts towards its early conclusion," the joint statement said.
In the joint statement, the two sides welcomed the agreements for cooperation in internal security, drug trafficking and disaster management. Underling the need for both countries to maintain regular contacts and hold frequent consultations on issues of mutual interest, the two sides agreed to continue the practice of informal meetings like the one in Sochi to maintain strategic communication at all levels on a regular basis.
"Both sides agreed that their relationship is mature and confident, covering all areas and is marked by deep trust, mutual respect and close understanding of each other's position," the joint statement said.
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On the economic issues, the two sides reviewed the progress on the achievement of the goal to increase two-way investment to USD 30 billion by the year 2025. They noted that in 2017 bilateral trade increased by more than 20 per cent and agreed to work towards its further increase and diversification. The two sides expressed support to promoting bilateral trade in national currencies and welcomed the start of consultations on the Free Trade Agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and its member states, on the one side, and India - on the other.
The Russian side offered its expertise in tax collection based on satellite navigation technologies for the realisation of joint projects in India including in the framework of industrial corridors. Russia expressed its interest in India's railway speed raising projects. Underscoring the importance of connectivity, India and Russia called for the development of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) by finalising pending issues related to Customs authorities, development of road and rail infrastructure and financial facilitation through bilateral discussions as well as discussions with other partner countries at the earliest. The two sides supported the early launch of the Green Corridor project aimed at the simplification of customs operations in respect of goods being transported between India and Russia.
In the field of science and technology, the two sides noted the necessity to further intensify their cooperation, and welcomed the successful conduct of the 10th Indian-Russian Working Group on Science and Technology. They stressed the importance of the longstanding and mutually beneficial India-Russia cooperation in outer space and welcomed the activity on setting up measurement data collection ground stations of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System NavIC and the Russian Navigation Satellite System GLONASS in the territory of the Russian Federation and India, respectively.
The two sides agreed to intensify cooperation in the field of exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, including human space flight programmes, scientific projects as well as agreed to continue developing cooperation on BRICS remote sensing satellite constellation.
In the energy sector, the two sides urged their companies to consider a wide range of opportunities for cooperation, including long-term contracts, joint ventures and acquisitions of energy assets in both countries as well as possible cooperation in third countries. They welcomed the ongoing cooperation between the Russian and Indian energy companies, including investments of Indian consortium in Vankorneft and Taas-Yuryakh Neftegazodobycha in Russia and the participation of the PJSC Rosneft oil company in the Essar Oil capital.
While saying that the civil nuclear cooperation between India and Russia is an important component of strategic partnership the two sides noted the progress achieved in the construction of the remainder of the six power units at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (NPP) as well as efforts made in the components manufacturing for localisation. The sides welcomed consultations on the new Russian designed NPP in India as well as on the NPP equipment joint manufacturing of nuclear equipment; cooperation in third countries. They also expressed satisfaction over signing of the 'Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field' identified jointly.
India and Russia also decided to further explore possibilities of closer cooperation on hydel and renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, including in order to reduce the negative effects of climate change.
Terming the Military and Military-Technical cooperation between the two countries is an important pillar of their strategic partnership, the "two sides welcomed the conclusion of the contract for the supply of the S-400 Long Range Surface to Air Missile System to India," the statement said.
"Both sides expressed satisfaction at the significant progress made on the ongoing projects of military technical cooperation and recognised the positive shift towards joint research and joint production of military technical equipment between the two countries. They highly evaluated the Military Industrial Conference process as an important mechanism to promote the 'Make in India' policy of the Government of India," the statement added.
On the international issues, India and Russia affirmed "equality, mutual respect and non-interference as universally acknowledged norms of international law as reflected in the United Nations Charter and the 1970 Declaration on principles of international law concerning friendly relations and co-operation among states in accordance with the UN Charter."
The two sides also declared their support to Afghan government's efforts towards the realisation of an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned national peace reconciliation process. Both sides called upon the international community to join efforts to thwart any external interference in Afghanistan, to restore its economy, contribute to sustaining peace and security, economic and political development of a stable, secure, united, prosperous and independent Afghanistan, the joint statement said.
On Syria, the two sides reaffirmed the commitment for a political resolution through an inclusive Syrian-led, Syrian-owned political process. They also underlined the importance of the full and effective implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear programme in order to support international peace and security, to strengthen non-proliferation regime and to develop normal economic cooperation with Iran. They called for all issues related to the Iranian nuclear programme to be resolved peacefully and through dialogue.
Terming the dialogue process between North and South Korea as positive development, the two sides conveyed support for efforts to bring about lasting peace and stability in this sub-region through diplomacy and dialogue. Both sides agreed that while drawing-up the mechanism to resolve the Korean Peninsula issues, it is necessary to take into account and address concerns related to its proliferation linkages.
The two sides expressed the serious concern about the possibility of an arms race in outer space and of outer space turning into an arena for military confrontation. They reaffirmed their determination to support efforts and initiatives aimed at preserving the role of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction, and preventing the politicisation of the activities of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
"The Indian side welcomed the Russian Federation's early completion of destruction of its chemical weapons' stockpiles, which represents a significant contribution to achieving the goal of creating a world free from chemical weapons," the statement said.
Reaffirming the need for reform in the United Nations Security Council, Russia reiterated its unwavering support to India for Permanent Membership in an expanded UNSC. Russia also expressed its support for India's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Both sides supported the idea of establishment of Regional Security Architecture, that provides equal and indivisible security to all countries in Asia and in the regions of Pacific and Indian Oceans. It was decided that special attention will be paid to the issues of security and stability, including combating terrorism, illegal drug-trafficking and organised crime, thereby increasing effectiveness of cooperation within the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure.