Committed to take forward Indo-Russia relations to newer heights: PM Modi

St Petersburg: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Wednesday night for an annual summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin during which the two sides will sign a host of agreements.

However, all eyes are on a deal to build with Russia's help the last two units of India's largest nuclear power plant.

The reactors are being built by India's Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and Russia's Atomstroyexport company, a subsidiary of Rosatom, the regulatory body of the Russian nuclear complex.

The two sides are expected to ink 12 agreements in wide- ranging sectors, including in science and technology, railways, cultural exchanges and other business areas between private parties also, in addition to a "vision statement" that the two leaders will release.

The nuclear deal, if signed, would be the centerpiece of the summit, the second time in eight months after their last bilateral in Goa in October 2016.

If signed, the two units of the plant, with capacity to produce 1000 MW of electricity each, will significantly boost the country's nuclear power generation.

The current nuclear power generation capacity of all 22 nuclear power reactors is 6780 MW.

On reaching Russia from Spain on his four-nation six-day tour, PM he tweeted:

Reached the historic city of St. Petersburg. Looking forward to a fruitful visit aimed at cementing India-Russia relations. pic.twitter.com/0vZTiS0euh — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 31, 2017

Meanwhile, ahead of his visit to Russia, PM Modi had said that India is not only committed to accord the highest priority to the bilateral relations but also committed to taking them forward to newer heights.

"In India, the policy of building strong relations with Russia enjoys crosscutting national consensus. Every government in India since 1947 has accorded the highest priority to developing close relations with the government and people of Russia," PM Modi had said in an article published in Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazetta on the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Russia.

"My government is not only committed to following this policy, but taking our relations to newer heights," he had added, as per IANS.

Noting that the two countries signed a declaration on strategic Partnership in 2010 and elevated it to the level of a special and privileged strategic partnership, he had said, "These documents are more than just words. They contain an ambitious blueprint for our cooperation. 

"The symbols of our contemporary partnership today include Indian investments in Sakhalin 1, and now the Vankor and Taas-Yuryakh oil fields, the nuclear power plant at Kudankulam and the Brahmos Joint Venture Project," PM Modi had said. 

He had also said that both the countries cannot and should not be satisfied with the achievements and must strive to open new vistas. 

"We should fully exploit our mutual complementarities based on our large markets, resource endowments and industrial and technological base. We are focusing on increasing our bilateral trade which is considerably below our potential. We are opening new areas of cooperation in the energy sector, telecommunications and science and technology. We have set up funds to facilitate investment in high technologies," he had said.

PM Modi had further said that the "natural" Indian-Russian partnership's significance goes beyond the bilateral sphere.

"This is natural and has always been so. Our partnership has contributed to global peace and security. We have supported each other's key interests. We are important stakeholders in upholding the stability of the international political, security, economic and financial order.  We cooperate closely in forums such as the United Nations, BRICS, G-20, East Asia Summit, RIC and the IAEA. India looks forward to becoming a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation that became possible with wholehearted Russian support," he had said. 

Before Russia, PM was in Spain where he paid a courtesy call to Spanish King Felipe VI and held wide-ranging talks with President Mariano Rajoy.

"I thank the government and people of Spain for their remarkable hospitality during my visit, during which significant ground was covered," Prime Minister Modi had tweeted.

"India-Spain ties are all set to grow and this will benefit the people of both our nations" he had said in another tweet.

India-Spain ties are all set to grow and this will benefit the people of both our nations. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 31, 2017

I thank the Government & people of Spain for their remarkable hospitality during my visit, during which significant ground was covered. pic.twitter.com/Q70MQZf0iU

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 31, 2017

During his stay here, India and Spain signed seven agreements, including those on cyber security and technical cooperation in civil aviation.

The agreements were signed after PM Modi held wide-ranging talks with Rajoy at the Moncloa Palace in the Spanish capital, as per PTI.

The two sides agreements on transfer of sentenced persons and visa waiver for holders of diplomatic passports.

PM Modi was the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Spain since Narashima Rao's trip to the country in 1992.

He will be in Paris on June 2 and 3 where he will hold official talks with newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron.

(With Agency inputs)