New Delhi, December 4
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrived here tonight on a three-day visit during which the two countries are expected to sign a civil nuclear agreement. Under the pact, Moscow will build four additional atomic reactors in Tamil Nadu.

Medvedev, on his first visit here as President, was received by minister of state for external affairs Anand Sharma at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Medvedev will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the entire gamut of relationship and discuss ways to take these forward, particularly in trade and economic field.

Ahead of his visit, he expressed the desire to transform Indo-Russian ties from “buyer-seller” to the one of partnership through expansion of military ties and enhancing cooperation in nuclear energy. “Our ties in such areas as defence, security, and arms trade were based precisely upon the buyer-seller relationship. We would like to move to deeper relations,” he said.

The two countries are expected to sign a civil nuclear agreement that was initialled in January 2007 but could not be signed because of the absence of NSG waiver and India-IAEA Safeguards Agreement. India finalised safeguards agreement with IAEA and got NSG clearance earlier this year.

Under the pact, Russia will build four additional nuclear reactors in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.

Medvedev, who is visiting India for the annual bilateral summit, will become the first Head of the State of any country to undertake the trip following the Mumbai attacks. Closer bilateral interaction in combating international and cross-border terrorism is also expected to be discussed. — PTI