General Deepak Kapoor to visit Russian Federation from June 23-27

New Delhi, June 18 : Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor will pay a five-day visit to Russia from June 23 to 27.

During his official visit General Kapoor will meet Russian Defence officials and senior military officials. He will visit Russian Land Forces Tank Division, Mikhailovskaya Artillery Academy and North Caucasus Military District.

During his interaction with senior Defence and military officials of Russian federation, General Kapoor will discuss issues of military cooperation.

The visit will further the defence cooperation between the two nations and cement India's ties with the Russian Federation that are time tested and based on continuity, trust and mutual understanding.

Today both the nations face similar challenges brought about by secessionist and separatist forces which are posing a threat to pluralistic societies as prevalent in a large Number of countries.

Attack on the Indian Parliament (13 Dec 2001), the Moscow Theatre hostage crisis (Oct 2002), Beslan School Tragedy (September 2004), the recent blasts in Hyderabad and Jaipur are grim reminders of the scourge of terrorism. To combat this threat, cooperation between all peace loving countries has become the need of the hour; resulting in concerted and synergised efforts by all.

Armies of both the countries also been engaged in joint defence exercise INDRA based on the theme of counter Terrorism. So far two such exercises have taken palace in 2005 and 2007.

The political leadership in India and Russia is alive to the necessity of enhancing the level of defence cooperation for mutual benefits including for countering terrorism.

A series of recent high level visits from both sides, like the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, to Moscow in Nov 2007 ensued in signing of documents like Agreement between India and Russia on Cooperation in Development and Production of Multi-role Transport Aircraft, Letters of Exchange (on utilization of Rupee debt funds for Russian investments in India), Agreement between India and Russia on Cooperation to combat Illicit Trafficking in Narcotics, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors and Agreement between the Indian Space Research Organization and the Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation in the Field of Joint Moon Exploration.

During the state visit by the Russian President in January 2007 led to the signing of the Indo-Russian Agreement on Cooperation in seven sectors, Joint Statement on peaceful uses of atomic energy; Program of Cultural Exchanges during 2007-09, Protocol on holding "Year of Russia in India" in the year 2008 and "Year of India in Russia" in the Year 2009.

ANI