Indian PM hopes to strike deals during visit
Print Edition
India’s Manmohan Singh embarked on one of his last major foreign trips as prime minister yesterday, heading to Russia and China to strengthen trade ties and address a long-running border dispute.
The 81-year-old, who is expected to stand down after elections next year, will look to clinch energy, defense and other economic deals in both countries as India tries to boost trade and investment to kick-start sluggish growth.
Singh will also seek a breakthrough on the border dispute with China, after the leaders of the two Asian giants have pledged earlier this year to build up trust.
“Maintenance of peace, tranquility and stability on our border is an important factor in our bilateral ties (with China) and it is expected that this would be an important aspect of the discussions,” Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh said at a briefing on Friday on the four-day trip.
Singh will first visit Moscow before arriving in China tomorrow.
During his visit, he will be looking to forge closer economic ties and ink an agreement to ease tension along their disputed border in a remote Himalayan region, following a flare-up in April.
Singh and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will hold talks on Wednesday after both pledged to resolve the border dispute during Li’s visit to India in May.
Officials from both countries are racing ahead of Singh’s arrival to finalize the so-called border defence cooperation pact, which includes provisions for better communications between their armies.
Singh will also seek progress on closing the trade gap between the two countries, including through hiked Chinese investment by setting up Chinese industrial parks in India.
China is India’s biggest trading partner, with two-way commerce totalling US$67.83 billion last fiscal year, up from US$2.1 billion in 2001-02.
In Moscow, Singh will meet President Vladimir Putin today with the focus on strengthening supply of weapons and military hardware to New Delhi.
“Russia is a key partner for us in the field of defence,” the foreign secretary said in New Delhi.
Both countries will be looking to seal accords on the next phase of a Russian-built nuclear power project on India’s southern coast.
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