Until the end of the year, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev and State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin will visit India with visits. About what Russian officials will discuss at meetings in New Delhi, how military cooperation is going, what India is going to do under the American ban on the purchase of Iranian oil and how Russia can help New Delhi in building the first Indian spacecraft RIA Novosti told in his first interview in the new position, Ambassador of India to Russia Bala Venkatesh Varma.
- The outgoing year was very fruitful in terms of strengthening bilateral ties between Russia and India. The past St. Petersburg Economic Forum played a significant role in this. Have you started preparations for the next forum in New Delhi and how representative will the delegation be?
- Of course, it was a very fruitful year for Russian-Indian relations. An agreement on strategic partnership was signed between our countries, and an annual summit was held in October, becoming the 19th summit, under which President Putin visited India. It was a very successful visit. And the great merit lies in the trusting and strong relationship between Putin and Indian Prime Minister Modi. Both leaders are interested in strengthening relations, and next year we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of strategic partnership.
As you remember, we have had very productive talks in Delhi on the subject of military-technical cooperation, in the sphere of energy and economy. Investment and mutual trade turnover is increasing. Now it is more than 10 billion dollars, but this is much less than the potential that exists. And we want to increase turnover. Investments have already reached $ 30 billion, we want them to grow further. The Indian economy is today one of the fastest growing economies in the world, so we invited Russia and Russian business to participate in this.
Just a few days ago, a very important meeting was held in St. Petersburg - the first Russian-Indian strategic economic dialogue. The Russian side was represented by Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin, the Indian delegation was headed by Vice Chairman of the National Institute of Transformation of India Rajiv Kumar. A number of important decisions were made. We intend to strengthen our cooperation in the digital economy, are interested in greater participation of Russia in the development of infrastructure in India, we want to increase the export of Indian agricultural products to Russia. Today, the Russian Federation is one of the largest countries exporting agricultural products, but India is also a major supplier of agro-industrial products and we want to remove all barriers and obstacles in this area.
India is also very interested in the Russian Far East. The Indian Prime Minister was invited as the main guest at the next Eastern Economic Forum, which will be held in Vladivostok next September. Therefore, we have very good prospects in terms of plans for 2019. Of course, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is also an important platform, Premier Modi attended it two years ago, last year India was represented by the Minister of Commerce. This forum helps to build links between businesses of the two countries, as well as relations at the regional level. A number of governors are interested in cooperation with India, and we, by the way, look forward to the participation of Russian business in the Vibrant Gujarat forum, which will be held in January next year in Ahmedabad. Therefore, the overall picture is very positive, but this, of course, not news for Russian-Indian relations. Our countries have been tied together for 70 years. You can witness the ups and downs in relations between different countries, but the ties between India and Russia have always been very positive and we are confident that with each passing year they will only improve.
- And what events are planned to mark the 20th anniversary of the strategic partnership between Russia and India?
- We will have a bilateral summit, at which we plan to adopt a separate document on the upcoming anniversary of the establishment of a strategic partnership between India and Russia, therefore we expect a number of major events to follow after the summit. Most likely, it will be held in Vladivostok. I mean that the WEF will be combined with the holding of a bilateral summit. The forum in India is also very important - Vibrant Gujarat is a major international economic conference. It will be held January 18-20 in Ahmedabad. And we expect that Indian businessmen within its framework will get acquainted with their Russian partners.
- What visits are planned before the end of the year in India?
- We have a very dynamic calendar in terms of contacts. We are pleased that the State Duma Speaker Mr. Volodin will visit India in December at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Madam Sumitra Makhadjan, the Speaker of the lower house of the Indian Parliament, which we call the Lok sabha or the People’s Chamber. It is assumed that he will address the Indian parliamentarians, as well as hold meetings with the leadership of the country, including the Prime Minister and the President.
We also look forward to the visit of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to attend the meeting of the intergovernmental commission on military cooperation, which will be chaired by his Indian counterpart, Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. It is supposed to review our long-term cooperation in the military-technical field. There are a number of areas of such cooperation, and we intend to deepen it, including during the visit of Shoigu. By the way, since we touched on the topic of military contacts, Admiral Sunil Lamba, the head of the Indian Navy, had just visited the Russian Federation, last week he visited Moscow and St. Petersburg and held meetings with the Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov.Another important visit to be held is the visit of Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev to New Delhi, where he will meet with his colleague Ajit Doval, advisor to the Prime Minister of India on national security. Patrushev is also scheduled to meet with the Prime Minister of India. We hope that this will be a very good visit. And this is natural, we have close ties on security issues, we maintain close contacts with each other. And we are discussing not only bilateral issues, but also counter-terrorism issues, regional issues that are of mutual interest, including the situation in Afghanistan, which will also be the subject of discussion this time. Therefore, concluding this year, I can say that it was just great for Russian-Indian relations. And as you see, After Putin’s visit to India in October, we continue the dynamic of bilateral visits. The visit of Mr. Shoigu will be held on December 12-13 in New Delhi, and Patrushev will visit India on December 6-7.
- In what year are expected deliveries of S-400 complexes to India?
- As you remember, the agreement on the supply of S-400 complexes was concluded during the visit of President Putin to India in October of this year. Contract signed. We hope that the delivery schedule will be respected, so we expect that the first delivery will take place by 2020, and then they will go according to the schedule agreed in the contract.
- How will the supply of the S-400 affect the defense capability of India and does India intend to purchase additional systems from Russia in the future?
- I can not talk about what will happen in the future. First of all, we intend to fulfill the contract that was concluded. Of course, the C-400 is a great system. This is the reason why India is developing cooperation with Russia in this area. But India is not the only country that purchases S-400 complexes. There are a number of other countries that express their interest in Russian systems and have already signed contracts for their supply. S-400 is an excellent system in terms of air defense, with good technical indicators, so we are very pleased that the contract was concluded.
- How will India pay for S-400 complexes? Will the settlement scheme in national currencies be used?
- Discussions about this are still ongoing. We have a common understanding of how we will continue the implementation of the contracts. But this concerns not only S-400, there are other agreements, and we are discussing how to find new ways of settlement, using new payment mechanisms. There are still no final decisions, but the general line is that we should use the mechanism of settlements in national currencies more. Therefore, there will be payments in rupees and rubles, and we intend to move forward in this regard on a mutually acceptable basis. But the details are not yet finalized.
- Next year, Russia and India are planning to hold the Indra exercise?
- Yes, of course, this is a very active component of our military cooperation. During the visit of the head of the Navy, this topic was discussed. Last year, exercises were held with the involvement of fleet forces, personnel, weapons and equipment of aviation and ground units, next year we also plan to conduct them. The number of exchanges between officers and our military academies has also increased. After a long time, the Russian officer will finally attend classes at the Indian National Defense College. This is a very prestigious educational institution, and we are glad that such exchanges between Russia and India are increasing.
- And when will the Indra-2019 exercises take place?
- Dates have not yet been determined, but I think that the schedule for the next year will be agreed before the end of this year.
- Did American sanctions somehow affect Russian-Indian military cooperation?
“India and Russia are two sovereign countries, two friendly countries that decide for themselves what their bilateral cooperation will be, and we hope that this will continue in the future.” Nevertheless, it would be unwise to assume that the international situation does not affect in any way how and in what manner we are moving along this cooperation. Nevertheless, we are confident that India has good relations with both Russia and the United States. We will continue to cooperate with both countries in due measure and are confident that the urgent needs of India in the defense sphere will be understood and supported by all countries concerned with such cooperation.
- There were reports that Moscow and New Delhi are experiencing difficulties in payments due to sanctions, can you confirm this information? And if difficulties really arise, what steps are being taken by both countries to avoid them in the future?
- Some Russian companies came under US sanctions. India does not accept unilateral sanctions; we can only support sanctions imposed by the UN. As for payments, of course, we are looking for opportunities for how they can be continued, and as I mentioned, greater use of national currencies is one of the options that we are exploring.
- Is India experiencing pressure from the United States to stop all military cooperation with Russia?
“We are in constant contact with the United States, and I hope that Washington understands that a country like India is a large Asian state that has its own security needs.” I hope that in terms of relations with the United States there will be more understanding about how we want to move forward in the future.- What steps does India intend to take as soon as the temporary withdrawal from the US sanctions on Iranian oil stops?
- India is a country that is very dependent on oil supplies. And Iran is a major supplier of oil, 11% of our deliveries come from Iran, so it is natural that for us reducing oil imports in a short time will be fraught with considerable difficulties. We interact with our partners. And as we do, we will continue to work with the United States and Iran on how to do this in the best possible way. With Iran, we conduct settlements only in rupees, we have an appropriate agreement for this. Therefore, with regard to what will be done, as soon as the temporary withdrawal from the sanctions ends, we will continue to work with the United States on this issue.
- But still, as soon as the temporary withdrawal from the sanctions is terminated, does India plan to increase deliveries from other countries, for example from Russia?
- We intend to expand our cooperation with Russia in the energy sector. And we are already moving in this direction. One of the largest foreign investments of India go to the energy sector of Russia. In the same way, Russia has invested a lot of money in the energy sector of India. We have excellent cooperation on the Sakhalin-1 project. And we have ongoing consultations on how to deepen this cooperation. In my opinion, with regard to what will happen with the sanctions against Iran, India will increase its energy cooperation with Russia. We also believe that Russia plays a very important role in stabilizing the global oil market. President Putin spoke of this. We very much appreciate Russia's role in minimizing the volatility of oil prices. As I have already explained, India has very high oil demand, we are dependent on external supplies, and price fluctuations, price volatility in the oil sector have a negative impact on India. We, as a large consumer, are interested in stable and affordable oil prices.
- You say that you are interested in deepening cooperation with Russia in the energy sector, could you clarify what exactly this is about? What are the specific plans for next year?
- Our companies - OVL and Rosneft - are in constant contact. There are consultations on cooperation in the Far East, I hope that by the time Prime Minister Modi will visit Russia in September 2019, we will already have certain agreements. We also note the development of the Arctic region, and this is a new area for cooperation between India and Russia, especially in the oil sector.
- Speaking of regional cooperation, India intends to take part in the next round of consultations of the Moscow format on Afghanistan in official status?
- Yes, we really decided to participate as observers in the last meeting of the Moscow format. But India participated in previous meetings at the official level and only the last time - in an informal one. The reason is that India has a well-known position on how to move forward in a settlement in Afghanistan. India supports a peaceful Afghanistan, where the people of this country themselves determine their future without any outside influence. Of course, we are interested in cooperation with Russia on this issue, and we consider Moscow to be an important player in the region. The diplomatic efforts that Russia is making should lead to a peace process in Afghanistan, which would be fully owned, conducted and controlled by the Afghans themselves, so that the people of Afghanistan themselves could determine their future, I repeat, without external interference. Of course, India has the support of the people of Afghanistan. And we have a direct interest in resolving the situation in Afghanistan, as well as in the Moscow format moving forward. We are in constant contact with Russia on the issue of Afghanistan and look forward to high-level Russian-Indian consultations on Afghan issues. India will monitor what is happening on the site of the Moscow format.
- Still, it is not very clear why India refused to participate in the official status in the last meeting of the Moscow format?
- This time the meeting format has been slightly changed. Firstly, there was no official delegation of the government of Afghanistan. But we think that it is very important for the government to sit at the table. After all, we are talking about the future of Afghanistan. And since the Government of Afghanistan itself decided not to send an official delegation, India also decided not to send an official delegation.
- Russia said it would continue efforts to organize direct talks between representatives of the Taliban movement and the Afghan government. But if official Kabul again refuses to come to the talks in Moscow, India will also be represented at an unofficial level?
- I do not want to think about what will happen in the future. As I said, India and Russia will hold bilateral consultations. We want to hear from Russian colleagues what their plans are for the next meeting of the Moscow format. For our part, we will explain our vision of solving the problems of Afghanistan. I am confident that India and Russia will have a common understanding on these issues. In general, we have always had an understanding on Afghanistan, and we want to continue this interaction. But the priority for us is to ensure that the Afghan peace process proceeds according to the interests of the Afghan people, and the Afghan government must be involved in it. It is also very important that there is no external intervention. But we have worked with Russia within the framework of the Moscow format since its inception.
- You mentioned bilateral consultations between India and Russia, could you tell us in more detail when they will be held?
- We expect them to pass before the end of this year. These will be consultations between diplomats and key figures in the foreign ministries of our countries responsible for the settlement in Afghanistan. The meeting will be held in New Delhi.
- We would like to touch on the topic of cooperation between India and Russia in space. How does India see Russia's contribution to the Gaganian spacecraft project?
“We are very pleased that during the visit of President Putin to India, the Russian government assured us that Russia will provide all possible support for the first Indian astronaut who will go into space on an Indian spacecraft. That is, Indian astronauts have already been in space, I'm talking about Rakesh Sharma, who went into space on the Soviet spacecraft - this, by the way, is one of the symbols of strong friendship between India and Russia for many years. But if we are talking about the project of the Gaganian spacecraft, then we are saying that the Indian astronaut will fly into space on the Indian ship. There are several areas where Roskosmos will be able to assist and assist the Indian space agency ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization). I recently met with Mr. Rogozin, which once again confirmed the desire of Moscow to cooperate on this project. Russia has a lot of experience in manned launches. Our countries also have a great tradition of cooperation in the field of space. So, we want to launch the mission until 2022, so the practical work will begin next year, because there is not much time left before the launch, for the crew training. We expect that in 2019 there will be a lot of activity on the Gaganian project.
- In what form can Russia make its contribution to this practical cooperation that you are talking about?
- I think it will go in several areas. We already have a lot of expertise in India on the spacecraft, but not so much in terms of manned flight. And this is exactly the area where we will seek help from Russia: mainly in terms of training, some special equipment, as well as the exchange of experience in manned missions.
- What kind of equipment? Do you mean, for example, engines for a spacecraft?
- No, the engines will be Indian. I mean, for example, medical equipment or spacesuit equipment.
- That is, you will not need Russia's help in designing a spacecraft?
- Of course, there will be some areas, details, where we will need cooperation with Russia, because it will be a manned spacecraft.
- When will an agreement be signed with Russia about the short training mission of the Indian astronaut on the International Space Station?
- Negotiations continue, we hope that they will be completed early next year.
- Will the recent incidents in the Russian space industry, especially the penultimate unsuccessful launch of the Soyuz M-10 rocket , affect the development of bilateral cooperation between Moscow and New Delhi in the space sector?
- No, I do not think so, of course not. No mechanical device can be completely insured against the danger of an incident. In addition, Russia has a track record of safe flights, as well as India. In addition, the incident with the "Union" just showed that all the necessary protocols to ensure the safety of the crew worked perfectly. I would say that this case proved that Russian technologies are good: two astronauts did not suffer as a result. Therefore, we will continue to work with our Russian colleagues. We have 100% confidence in Russian technologies and experience in the space field, and even more. We are talking about the cooperation of the two space powers, and we are confident that this will be a happy story.
- Has India made a decision on the construction site of the second phase of the Kundakula nuclear power plant and are there any delays in payments under the current contract?
- Our cooperation with Russia is progressing particularly actively in the implementation of the Kundakulam project, and it is long-term. The Kundakulam-1 and Kundakulam-2 blocks are already working, blocks 3 and 4 are being built, and we have already concluded contracts for the construction of Kundakulam-5 and 6, in connection with which many events are being held. There were some problems with the work of Kundakulam-1 and Kundakulam-2, but we are pleased that after President Putin’s visit to India, many of these difficulties have been resolved. And we are confident that in the next few months the remaining issues and difficulties in the operation of these units will be completely eliminated. We have a plan for cooperation between the Atomic Energy Department of India and Rosatom. Part of this plan is to build the second phase of Kundakulam, but where mass production will be with greater localization: the volume of localized product produced will gradually increase.
We have agreed on several places for the construction of this second NPP stage, but the selection process has not yet been completed due to environmental considerations or due to the lack of large areas for construction. In most cases, local communities support construction, but there are several issues that need to be addressed. We are making the necessary efforts for this, and I am confident that we will be able to successfully complete the negotiations on the choice of site for construction.
However, let me emphasize that the current site of the Kundakulam NPP has not been fully utilized, two reactors are already operating, two reactors are under construction, and there is land for two more reactors. On the whole, we consider Russia a very reliable partner and are very grateful to the Russian side for their support. And we would like to see Russia part of a developing nuclear industry in India.
- Are there any delays in the payment of current contracts?
- No, they do not exist.
15:00 12/04/2018
