New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is visiting Russia and China from Oct 20-24 in what could likely be his last major overseas trip ahead of the 2014 national elections. Both countries have their own strategic importance for India.
He will visit Moscow Oct 20-22 at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin for the 14th India-Russia Annual Summit.
Manmohan Singh will hold talks with Putin to “advance India's special and privileged strategic partnership with the Russian Federation, in addition to other engagements”, a statement said.
He will travel to Beijing on the second leg of his visit from Oct 22-24 at the invitation of Premier Li Keqiang, who had visited India in May this year in his first overseas visit. In Beijing, the two will hold discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues with a view to strengthening the partnership between the two countries. Manmohan Singh will also meet President Xi Jinping and National People's Congress Chairman Zhang Dejiang, the statement said.
Defence ties would be high on the agenda of the annual bilateral India-Russia summit to be held Oct 21. The summit comes days ahead of the delivery of Russian-built aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, refitted for the Indian Navy, which is to leave for India on Nov 30.
The overhaul of the carrier, christened Vikramaditya, is five years past its original 2008 delivery date and with huge cost additions. From $974 million, which was inked in the 2004 agreement, the final cost was settled at $2.3 billion.
Indian Navy has already taken delivery of some of the carrier's MiG-29K naval fighter aircraft that were completed before their parent ship was ready for sea.
Both sides are also expected to see progress in clinching the commercial negotiations for Russian reactors for the third and fourth units of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, who was in Moscow earlier this month for the bilateral Inter-Governmental Commission (IRIGC), has said that both sides “want to move forward now to get into a commercial agreement on the third and the fourth” reactors.
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is setting up two 1,000 MW Russian reactors at Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district. Moscow has voiced concern over India's civil nuclear liability law that puts the onus on suppliers in the event of an accident.
India has also invited Russian investment in the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project.
The Beijing visit comes days after two Arunachal Pradesh archers were unable to fly to China for an event after they were given stapled visas. China lays claim to Arunachal Pradesh and considers it "disputed" territory.
The prime minister's visit comes even as India is planning to relax visa norms for Chinese businesspersons.
Manmohan Singh is slated to hold a series of meetings with top Chinese leaders and also address the Communist Party of China's (CPC) Central Party School on Oct 24.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying has said the Indian prime minister's visit would be of great significance to deepen China-India strategic partnership.
“During this visit Chinese leaders will meet and have talks with PM Singh and in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and issues of common concern,” she is quoted as saying.
Both sides could likely see the inking of the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA) which aims to reduce tensions on their undefined 4,000-km boundary.