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S-400 negotiations preceded US sanctions on Russia by several years
New Delhi, Oct 5 (IANS) After India and Russia on Friday concluded a deal on S-400 Triumf long-range surface-to-air missile system in the face of US sanctions on Russia, top sources said that negotiations for the purchase of the the missile system by New Delhi preceded the sanctions by several years, implying that the country could not give up on its defence cooperation legacy with Moscow.
“The negotiations for the S-400 missile system preceded CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) by a long period, in fact several years,” a source said, adding that the government took the decision to purchase it in national interest.
The S-400 missile deal has been an issue of much speculation after the Trump administration’s CAATSA law came into effect in January.
CAATSA targets countries doing business with Russian, Iranian and North Korean defence companies.
The issue of the US putting fresh sanctions on Iran over its nuclear agreement after pulling out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that Tehran signed with the five permanent members (P5) of the UN Security Council, Germany and the European Union also came up for discussion during the 19th India-Russia Annual Bilateral Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin here.
The US has asked other countries to stop buying oil from Iran and this sparked concerns in New Delhi as the West Asian nation is a major supplier of crude oil to India.
The sources said that during the summit, there was a general agreement that “we should keep Iran in the deal”..
There was also a lot of talk on the energy sector, especially oil prices, during the Modi-Putin meeting.
It is learnt that both India and Russia agreed to work together to stabilise oil prices. Putin also said that if needed, Russia will increase its oil output.
The possibilities of Indian private investment in the gas sector in the Arctic also came up for discussions.
Russia, the sources said, offered ice breaking ships so that India can import Arctic gas.
“India expressed interest in acquiring more oil assets in Russia,” a source said.
There was also some discussion on the Russian Far East and both sides agreed to develop a strategy for that region, it is learnt.
There was talk on space cooperation and Putin offered his full cooperation to India’s planned manned space programme Gaganyan.
In terms of defence cooperation, apart from the S-400 missile system, Modi emphasised on co-production in the defence sector under the Make in India programme.
“Modi called for going beyond the current buyer-seller relationship,” a source said.
Both sides also discussed enhancing business between them and there was talk of cooperation between Indian states and Russian regions.
The two sides also felt that the 20 per cent year-on-year growth in bilateral trade was way below potential and have set a trade target of $25 billion by 2025.
Putin, it is learnt, also offered medium range Russian passenger jets for use by regional airlines in India.
He expressed Russia’s interest in the railways sector in India.
“Russia is already involved in speed raising in the Nagpur-Secunderabad section,” a source pointed out.
On his part, Modi highlighted IT and pharmaceuticals and called for further opening up of the Russian market.
Interestingly, Putin also asked about the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India indicating that he might be interested in putting in place such a structure in Russia.
According to the sources, another issue that came in for much attention was connectivity and both sides discussed how to make the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) effective.
“Like, for example, a container from Mumbai reaching a place like St. Petersburg in Russia without any hurdles,” a source explained.
The INSTC is a 7,200-km-long multi-modal network of ship, rail and road routes to move freight between India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.
The two sides also discussed the possibilities of a preferential trade agreement between India and the Eurasian Union.
Both sides stressed on a multipolar world and Putin, it is learnt, said that the geopolitical interests of both India and Russia coincide.
–IANS
ab/sed
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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