M A I N   N E W S

PM to embark on trip to Russia, China next week
KV Prasad/TNS

New Delhi, October 16
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will embark on a two-nation trip that will take him to Russia and China, two of the five P-5 member countries, for a back-to-back bilateral engagement from October 20-24 seeking to advance New Delhi's "special and strategic partnership'' with Moscow and "strengthening'' relationship with Beijing.

Prime Minister will leave here for Moscow on Sunday for the 14th India-Russia annual summit the next day with President Vladimir Putin. During the visit, he will hold talks not only to provide further impetus to the strategic ties and enlarge the scope in the fields of trade and investment, pharmaceuticals, information technology etc.

Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid was in Moscow for a meeting of the Inter-Governmental Commission ahead of the annual summit where he underscored that pharmaceuticals is one area in which both India and Russia can offer each other while suggesting that Moscow could explore investment in industrial townships along the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor besides building upon the relationship in the area of energy, what with the Kudnakulam Plant in Tamil Nadu as a proof of deep ties.

On October 23, Prime Minister Singh will hold discussions with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang on bilateral, regional and global issues. During the visit, both sides are expected to sign the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement that seeks to prevent face-off between the two armies along the 4000-km Line of Actual Control.

Sources in the government said Prime Minister Singh was also likely to take up stapled visas issued by China to two Indian sportspersons from Arunachal.