NEW DELHI: Key Russian Senators visited India this week to promote business and education partnership and parliamentary exchanges between SCO and BRICS member states.Between February 5-7, a group of Russian senators led by Yelena AFANASYEVA (head of the delegation), Member of the Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building, Head of the Group; Elena PERMINOVA, Deputy Chair of the Committee on Budget and Financial Markets; Member of the Group; Vyacheslav TIMCHENKO, First Deputy Chair of the Committee on Economic Policy, Member of the Group visited Delhi.During the visit, the delegation had talks with Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh, held a meeting of the India-Russia Parliamentary Friendship Group led by MP Lok Sabha Hema Malini, met with BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav, Leader of Opposition Sonia Gandhi, MP Lok Sabha Shashi Tharoor, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs.The entire range of Indo-Russian bilateral cooperation was discussed with a special focus on the development of relations through Friendship groups.The two sides discussed various issues of mutual interest, comprising of interregional cooperation between Russia and India including in economic sphere, youth entrepreneurship, educational and cultural exchanges; boosting inter-parliamentary contacts not only on a bilateral level, but also on a multilateral one, developing parliament dimensions of such fora as the SCO and BRICS.The two sides stressed the necessity of early signing the agreement of mutual recognition of diplomas between Russia and India.In order to achieve a trade turnover level of up to 30 billion the two sides have agreed to promote the development of direct trade relations between the regions of Russia and India and a possible a round table in Moscow during this year with the participation of representatives of big business of auspices of the Federation Council.In order to organize commemorative events dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the two sides have agreed to coordinate the activities of the Gandhi days in Moscow and the participation of India in events.