India, Russia to sign various pacts during annual summit
08 Dec 2011
New Delhi: India and Russia will sign up to nine agreements related to the military, energy and trade sectors in the course of prime minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Moscow next week. Sources confirmed that both sides are also likely to formalise an agreement to build the third and fourth nuclear reactors at Kudankulam.
Singh leaves for Moscow on 15 December on a three-day visit to attend the annual India-Russia Summit, which is scheduled for the next day.
At a press meet ahead of the prime minister's visit the Russian ambassador to India, Alexander Kadakin, spoke about the prospects of both countries signing seven to nine pacts.
Kadakin also said the Russian Navy will "soon" hand over to India the Akula-II class nuclear submarine K-152 Nerpa, which will be rechristened as INS Chakra.
The ambassador declined to give any specific time-frame for the delivery of the nuclear attack submarine.
Russian Navy chief admiral Vladimir Vysotsky has mentioned recently that the Indian crew is "now absolutely prepared" for operating the submarine which will come on a 10-year lease. The lease contract is estimated at some $ 900 million.