VLADIVOSTOK, September 4. /TASS/. Russia and India plan to launch joint development and production of military equipment, spare parts and components, according to the statement "Reaching New Heights of Cooperation through Trust and Partnership” signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the outcomes of their talks in Vladivostok on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

"The sides have declared their commitment to boosting cooperation in the defense sphere, including establishing joint development and production of military equipment, spare parts and components as well as improving the system of aftersales services, and continuing regular joint drills between the two countries’ military," the document reads.

Close cooperation between Russia and India in military and military-technical areas is a key pillar of bilateral and especially privileged strategic partnership, the two leaders said. The document also stated that Moscow and New Delhi confirmed the need to institutionalize mutual provision of logistical support and services for the two countries’ armed forces. A decision was made to draw up a legal framework for cooperation on mutual material and technical support, the statement said.

Besides, Russia and India welcomed boosting cooperation between Russia’s state space corporation Roscosmos and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), including on manned cosmonautics and satellite navigation. The sides agreed that there is the need to fully employ the potential of Russia and India in the sphere of rocket production, creation and utilization of various spacecraft and also exploring and using outer space for peaceful goals, including for research on planets.

Putin, Modi say no to looming arms race in outer space

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have voiced their concerns over a potential arms race in outer space, according to their joint statement after a bilateral summit on Wednesday.

Both are concerned that this possible arms race could eventually turn space into an arena of military confrontation, the document said. The two leaders confirmed that the prevention of an arms race in outer space would help prevent a serious threat to international peace and security. Moreover, they announced their intentions to continue further efforts in this direction.

Putin and Modi pointed out the paramount importance of fully observing international and legal agreements, stipulating that outer space should be used only for peaceful objectives, including for maintaining international peace and stability, as well as developing international cooperation and mutual understanding.

Russia and India called for introducing a legally binding multilateral instrument, providing guarantees of non-deployment of any types of weapons at Low-Earth Orbit. They also confirmed that the Conference on Disarmament is the only forum for holding multilateral talks devoted to international cooperation on preventing an arms race in outer space in all its aspects.

According to their official statement, the sides reached an agreement that universal, non-discriminatory measures for transparency and building confidence may supplement a legally binding tool on preventing an arms race in outer space.

Easing visa travel

Russia and India intend to continue the work to ease visa travel between the states, according to the statement. The leaders of the two states welcomed "the positive development of the process of easing visa formalities," in particular the extension to one year of the validity period for e-visas for Russian citizens who go to India on business and tourism purposes, as well as the introduction of free e-visas for Indian citizens for visiting the Kaliningrad Region and Vladivostok. "The sides expressed the intention to continue to carry out work to ease visa travel," the statement reads.

The document states the dynamic development of the Russian-Indian ties in the sphere of tourism. "The sides agreed to continue work to develop cooperation in this sphere," the statement says. The leaders also highly valued the implementation of the bilateral program of cultural exchanges "which directly contributes to the rapprochement of the two countries’ peoples," and decided "to continue the successful practice of carrying out festivals of Russian culture in India and Indian culture in Russia, as well as Russian film festivals in India and Indian film festivals in Russia." "The sides reached mutual understanding on the necessity to extend the geography of cultural exchanges, involve the youth and folk art teams more, as well as continue the comprehensive popularization of the Russian language in India and the Hindi language in Russia, in particular through the development of contacts between relevant educational organizations of the two countries," the document continues.

The sides also welcomed the development of cooperation in the sphere of education and agreed to galvanize the preparation of intergovernmental agreements on the mutual acceptance of documents on academic qualifications. Putin and Modi’s statement also included the development of cooperation between certain regions of India and Russia. In particular, the document stipulates the intention to organize an interregional forum of the two countries and the agreement to develop the system of twin cities of Russia and India.

The two state leaders noted in their joint statement that overall "Russian-Indian relations successfully sustained the turbulence of the modern world and neither depend nor will ever depend on external influence." The state leaders agreed to offer comprehensive support for unleashing the powerful potential of strategic partnership, noting its highly privileged character which served as the basis for stability in the difficult international situation," the document says.

Interaction in Arctic and Far East

India is committed to interacting with Russia in the Arctic and is ready to play an important role in the Arctic Council, according to the statement. "India is committed to interacting with Russia in the Arctic. India is watching development of the Arctic region with interest and is also ready to play an important role in the Arctic Council," the document reads.

The parties also expressed content with the cooperation between Moscow and New Delhi in the development of the Russian Far East. "The Russian side welcomed India’s intention to expand its economic and investment presence in the Far Eastern region and Siberia. The parties are interested in developing cooperation in attracting skilled workers from India to the Far East on a periodic basis," the document says.

Adoption of chemical terrorism convention

Russia and India believe that it is necessary to reinstate the spirit of consensus in the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

"The parties voiced support for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which had made its contribution to the effective implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. They confirmed the determination to back efforts and initiatives aimed at preserving the role of the convention and preventing the OPCW activities from being politicized. They called on the signatories to the convention to unite and [hold] constructive dialogue to restore the spirit of consensus to preserve the integrity and inviolacy of the convention," Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in the statement adopted following their talks in Vladivostok.

Moreover, "the parties support stronger Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction and particularly back adoption of a protocol to the document on establishing an effective and indiscriminate international mechanism of verifying compliance." Russia and India assured that "the functions of the convention, including the ones relating to the UN Security Council should not be replicated by other mechanisms."

"In the context of countering chemical and biological terrorism, the parties underscored the necessity to launch multilateral talks to adopt the International Convention on the Suppression of Acts of Chemical and Biological Terrorism at the conference," the document reads. Moscow and New Delhi also "confirmed their commitment to continue strengthening the global non-proliferation regime. Russia strongly supported India’s membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group."

Fight against terrorism

The statement particularly underlined that "Russia and India roundly condemned terrorism in all its manifestations and forms and called on the international community to create a united front in fighting this scourge, confirming their determination to take every measure to prevent and counter terrorism." "The parties insist that it is unacceptable to use double standards in the fight against terrorism and extremism or use terrorist groups to achieve political goals. The leaders called to perfect coordination of efforts of our countries in the framework of the international counter-terrorism cooperation, among other things aimed at beefing up efforts to prevent the exploitation of information and communication technologies for terrorist purposes," the document emphasizes.

The Russian president and the Indian prime minister "agreed to boost bilateral and multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation and called to complete the work on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism as soon as possible." "Nowadays, there is not a single country that was not affected by the terrorist scourge. Russia and India need to jointly take measures to fight terrorism. The Russian side acknowledged the Indian side’s proposal to hold a global conference on terrorism," the statement stresses.

Moscow and New Delhi "underlined the need to continue efforts aimed at improving the situation in the sphere of international security and work consistently to raise the level of inter-governmental trust and strengthen global and regional stability in all aspects as a basis for lasting peace rooted in the principle of equal and inseparable security for all with respect to interests and concerns of all states."

Putin and Modi "agreed to actively keep in touch on the whole array of issues of ensuring security through the Russian Security Council and the Indian National Security Council."

Dialogue on Iranian nuclear deal

Russia and India carry on mutually beneficial and legitimate cooperation with Iran, calling the international community to discuss the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear program, the joint statement informs.

"The issues related to it [the Iranian nuclear program] must be resolved peacefully, through dialogue," the document notes. "The sides have expressed their commitment to carry on the mutually beneficial and legitimate trade-economic cooperation with Iran."

"The sides stress the importance of full and effective adherence to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear program to ensure regional and international peace, security and stability, reaffirming their full commitment to Resolution 2231 of the UN Security Council," the statement reads.

Assistance for Syria’s recovery

Russia and India are insisting that Damascus plays a key role in determining the conditions of the international humanitarian assistance to Syria, according to the statement.

"The parties underlined the importance of the fight against terrorist organizations in Syria, identified as such by the UN Security Council," the document reads. "They agreed to continue amplifying the assistance to Syria for the sake of the country’s recovery, including establishment of conditions to resettle refugees and temporarily displaced people." "The parties reiterate the necessity to strictly adhere to the principles of provision of humanitarian assistance enshrined by UN General Assembly resolution 46/182, which stipulates that the recipient country’s government plays a key role in determining the parameters of humanitarian assistance with respect to the national sovereignty of the receiving party," the statement underlines.

Putin and Modi welcomed stabilization in Syria, saying that they "insist that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic should be respected and urge to resolve the Syrian crisis exclusively by means of politics and diplomacy."

Dialogue to establish peace on Korean Peninsula

Russia and India have called on all parties to the talks on the Korean Peninsula crisis to continue dialogue on the issue, according to the statement.

"The two sides highlighted the importance of continued peaceful dialogue between all parties concerned aimed at establishing a lasting peace and stability on a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and urged all the parties to cooperate to achieve that goal," the document reads.

Putin and Modi also agreed to explore mutually acceptable and mutually beneficial areas of cooperation in third countries, primarily in Central Asia, Southeast Asia and Africa.

Call for end of violence in Afghanistan

In their joint statement Russia and India call for an immediate end of violence in Afghanistan. "In support of the efforts by all interested states facilitating large-scale peace process in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, constitutional order, long-lasting peace and the country’s transformation into a peaceful, secure, stable and independent state, the sides have called for an immediate end of violence," the document notes.

Russia and India expressed their support for all measures aimed to implement the national peace process in Afghanistan under the leadership and with the participation of Afghani citizens. "The sides have stressed their commitment to the soonest peaceful settlement in Afghanistan, as well as their determination to continue cooperating within the framework of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group and other internationally recognized political venues with this aim. They also reaffirmed their support of the Inter-Afghan Dialogue that began in Moscow in February 2019," the statement informs. "The sides will continue an intensive discussion of Afghanistan."

Invitation to India from Indian PM

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit India in 2020, the joint statement informed.

"Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi has thanked President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin for his kind hospitality shown to him and his delegation in Vladivostok, inviting the President of the Russian Federation to visit India next year to participate in the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit," the document notes.

In his statement to the press on the outcomes of the talks, Putin informed that the Indian PM had agreed to visit Russia in 2020 to attend the celebratory events timed to the 75th anniversary of Russia’s victory in the Second World War.

"The sides were pleased to note that their approaches to foreign policy largely coincide, stressing the importance of further development of Russian-Indian special and privileged strategic partnership both in the context of current bilateral relations and regarding the issues on the regional and international agenda," the statement continues. "The sides have reaffirmed their mutual commitment to strengthen and expand cooperation for the benefit of the Russian and Indian people."