Strengthening relations with India will help modernise the economy of the Volgograd Region
Moskovsky Komsomolets, 03.12.2014
By Daria Atarshikova
Strengthening relations with India will help modernise the economy of the Volgograd Region
Volgograd has been visited by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to the Russian Federation Pundi Raghavan. The visit is significant for several reasons, amongst which is its uniqueness it was the first time that an Indian Ambassador had come to the Region, moreover, accompanied by his wife. Thanks to the agreements reached during the negotiations between the Indian delegation and the Administration of the Volgograd Region, the latter expects large-scale modernisation of the economy and of the cultural sphere.
For the sake of peace and prosperity
The history of the relations between Volgograd and India has been ongoing for several years in the Region trade fairs are held, cooperation in education and science has been organised, and large investment projects are being implemented. At the meeting of the two delegations, Governor Andrei Bocharov and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to the Russian Federation Pundi Raghavan discussed the prospects for the development of economic and cultural cooperation, and special attention was paid to the fight against international terrorism. Let us reiterate that in September in the Volgograd Region the joint Russian-Indian military exercises Indra-2014 were held for the first time at the Prudboy training ground in the Southern Federal District.
- It was on the lands of Stalingrad that the liberation of the world from Fascism began during the Second World War, here they know the value of peace and understand the importance of combating all forms of terrorism, said the Governor of the Volgograd Region.
As Pundi Raghavan noted, Russia is a reliable business partner of India, also because of the regional ties. Presently there are 17 companies involving Indian capital registered in the Volgograd Region, all in all in 2014 in terms of the volume of foreign trade, India ranked 41 among the 108 countries, made up of the CIS and others, which are the partners of the Volgograd Region. In September Andrei Bocharov and the Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov gave the go ahead to create a Volzhsky pharmaceutical plant that will produce unique substances for medicines, the total investment of which exceeds 3 billion roubles.
- The pharmaceutical industry, along with the petrochemical and engineering ones, is considered by us to be one of the priorities for cooperation with Indian investors emphasised Andrei Bocharov. The quality of the medicines is not in doubt, and at the same time there is in the Volgograd Region a strong scientific, human resource and industrial potential for developing new enterprises.
The grounds for success
During the meeting between the Indian delegation, businessmen and members of the presidential management training programme business offers were considered by entrepreneurs from India and the Volgograd Region. The result was the designation of new vectors of cooperation between the Volgograd Region and India.
- Over the past ten years the economic relations between India and Russia have changed for the better, but the business communities of both countries are still not sufficiently well-informed about all the possibilities for bilateral cooperation, believes Mr. Raghavan.
The Indian entrepreneurs reported on their activities in a simply and clearly there were presentations from the company Larsen & Toubro, LLC Commercial Indo-Bank, a corporation in the field of IT training, and manufacturers of cars and buses. SC Alliance and the holding Agroinvest represented the Volgograd side. The scientific and human resource potential of the Volgograd Region, which has long been appreciated by the Indian side, will contribute to the implementation of joint projects.
- The Volgograd Region is poised to become a platform for the development of Russian-Indian relations, stated Andrei Bocharov. We are ready to expand this cooperation, to open new horizons in the petrochemical industry, in mechanical engineering, the military-industrial complex, and in the pharmaceutical sector. All the possibilities for achieving this exist today.
According to Volgograds experts, the Indian Autumn has only just begun strengthening these relations, which are of interest to both sides. According to Governor Andrei Bocharov, the greatest work in strengthening Russian-Indian relations is being carried out by the leaders of the two countries. Thus, at the beginning of December President Vladimir Putin will once again go on a visit to India. It is noteworthy that on the eve of this visit the Ambassador visited namely the Volgograd Region.
