Putin meets Deora; India keen to participate in Sakalin-3

Moscow, Nov 5 (UNI) Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin today met India's Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora who expressed India's keenness in participating in the third phase of Sakalin, an oil and gas development project.

Mr Deora also expressed India's desire for formation of joint venture between ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) and Rosneft for taking up exploration and development projects in east Siberia.

He also reiterated that India welcomes participation of Russian companies in the green field refineries and petrochemical projects in India, besides in the exploration and production area.

Mr Deora arrived in Moscow yesterday to discuss enhancing growing synergy between India and Russia in the oil and gas sector on a long-term basis.

At a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergy Shemato yesterday, Mr Deora underlined that it would be in the mutual interest of both countries to closely engage as Russia is energy rich and India is an energy deficit country.

He pointed out that Russian companies could participate in India's growing oil sector, including downstream market.

Mr Deora has been supportive of Russian and Indian companies joining hands to take up oil and gas projects not only in India and Russia but also in other countries.

He invited Russian participation in the India-CIS Roundtable on Hydrocarbons being organised by India in New Delhi on November 25-26.

The Minister arrived in Moscow from Ashgabad, the capital of Turkmenistan, where he made a transit halt to discuss cooperation in the fields of oil and gas with his Turkmen counterpart Annaguly Deryayev.

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