Patil Leaves for Seven-Day Visit to Russia, Tajikistan
Aimed at further strengthening bilateral relations and strategic ties President Pratibha Patil has left for a seven-day official visit to Russia and Tajikistan.
The president is accompanied by Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora, two MPs and other senior officials.
“India’s relationship with Russia is a partnership based on mutual trust, friendship and all-round cooperation,” foreign secretary Nirupama Rao told media persons ahead of the President’s visit.
“This will be the second Presidential visit to the Russian Federation after the visit of the former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam in May 2005 and the visit to Tajikistan will be the first ever visit by a President of India to the Central Asian region,” according to the foreign secretary.
Patil, in the course of her four-day visit to Moscow, will meet Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and will hold discussion with the two leaders on issues relating to the multi-faceted strategic ties between the two countries. In addition, she will meet chairman of the federation council Sergey Mironov, and the Speaker of the Duma Boris Gryzlov.
She will attend a gala concert in Moscow that marks the year-long celebrations of the Year of India in Russia.
On September, Patil will start her three-day visit to Tajikistan, the first ever visit by an India President to the energy-rch Central Asian country. She would be the guest of honour at the National Day celebrations.
Besides meeting with the Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Prime Minister Oguil Oguilov, she will also inaugurate the India-Tajikistan joint Business Forum.
