Modi's visit to Russia, Ashtrakhan ''a sucess'': Gujarat Govt

Ahmedabad, July 9 (UNI) The Gujarat government today described Chief Minister Narendra Modi's five-day tour of Russia and Ashtrakhan as very ''successful'' in which several pacts for cooperation were signed.

Giving details about the 16-member delegation's visit to Russia and Ashtrakhan, a government statement said the protocol pact for co-operation with Ashtrakhan was extended for another five years in which both states agreed to work together in the fields of petro and hydrocarbon sectors, trade, science and technology, education, tourism and culture.

Mr Modi also took up the issue of using the Rail-Road North-South Cargo Container Corridor through Iran with Ashtrakhan and Russian leaders.

In his meeting with Astrakhan Governor Alexander Zhilkin, Prime Minister Malcol Law and other senior leaders, he pointed to the advantages of using the corridor as the shortest land route between India and Russian States and Eastern Europe. The work on the corridor is on. He stressed that it will only cut costs, it will be shorter distance too.

Mr Modi also pointed out that with Gujarat's excellent port infrastructure along the 1600 km-long coastline, could act as the Gateway for ships touching Iran ports for cargo traffic to Europe and Central Asian countries.

In another development, Russian gas company Gasprom and state-owned Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) signed a pact for collaboration on business strategy and development and exchange of technological knowhow. ''Modules will be prepared. A Gasprom delgation will be coming here next week and will coordinate with GSPC,'' it said.

The Chief Minister also said as Gujarat is India's petro capital and with oil and gas discoveries in the KG basin, it has emerged as a global player and an energy-triggered progress is taking place.

For this purpose, he said his government planned to set up a Petroleum University in the state. Gasprom and Ashtrakhan state Technology University will help in that effort, the statement said.

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