PUTIN SEEKS TO BOLSTER LINKS WITH NEW DELHI

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Vladimir Putin, Russia's prime minister, is embarking on a bold initiative to resuscitate his country's flagging relationship with India by offering an expansion of nuclear power, military technology transfer and partnership in Russia's global positioning system.

On the eve of Mr Putin's arrival in New Delhi today, Russian officials said Moscow wanted to re-energise deep ties forged in the decades after India's independence that would serve India better than warming relationships with western powers, such as the US.

Mr Putin is expected to sign as many as 15 agreements worth about $10bn (

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Russia is offering to accelerate its nuclear plant building programme in India, build a fifth-generation jet fighter and military transport aircraft with India and partner with it in the production of satellite navigation equipment for Russia's Glonass, a rival to the GPS system of the US.

Russia's commercial relationship with India is grounded in military supplies, including jet fighters and submarines, and energy. Bilateral trade is worth about $8bn a year. Russia is the main supplier of weaponry to India's security forces and has built two nuclear reactors in Tamil Nadu and has plans to build four more. Moscow also hopes to diversify commercial ties with investments in telecommunications, pharmaceuticals and information technology.

Alexander Kadakin, Moscow's ambassador to New Delhi, said Russia had given India's military the technological edge to defend itself from terror attacks and hostile neighbours, such as nuclear-armed Pakistan.