16th Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission meeting begins on Thursday

NEW DELHI - The 16th Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Joint Economic Commission meeting will begin here on Thursday during which the two nations will focus on expanding economic partnership.

Several new agreements are expected to be finalised in the meeting beginning tomorrow. The Commission on trade economic, scientific technological and cultural cooperation will focus on expanding economic partnership between the two countries.

“Some more understandings are also expected to be reached before the summit level meeting between the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev next month,” said Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs Ajay Bisaria told reporters here today.

“All the pacts and MOUs are expected to be signed during the Russian President’s visit to India. The joint commission meeting will have a comprehensive review on all ongoing projects,” he added.

External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna will lead the Indian side in the talks, while Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov will lead the Russian side.

Basaria further said that a number of future projects would also be identified in the meeting, which includes food processing, construction and engineering services, financial services and tele medicine etc.

The Commission will also look at the ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in pharmaceuticals, energy, both conventional and civil nuclear, IT and Telecommunications besides advanced and applied sciences and high technology.

The Economic Commission, which is formally called the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation, had last met on October 21 in Moscow.

The Commission, which guides the conduct of economic cooperation, was set up in May 1992, and the first session was held in Moscow in September 1994. (ANI)