TASS: Russia, India announce support of Syria’s sovereignty, sign 15 documents

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a joint statement after talks in Moscow on Thursday that Russia and India support Syria's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, according to Russian news agency TASS.

The sides agreed that the internal armed conflict in Syria cannot be resolved by force and can be settled only by political and diplomatic means – through substantive intra-Syrian dialogue without any preliminary conditions or external interference and on the basis of the Geneva Communique of June 30, 2012; the Joint Statement on results of multilateral talks on Syria in Vienna of October 30, 2015 and a statement of the International Syria Support Group adopted on November 14, 2015, the document said, TASS wrote.

Russia and India voiced resolute and decisive support for the people and government of Iraq in their efforts to overcome the current crisis and defend the country's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Russian and Indian leaders said in their joint statement stressing the importance of reaching national reconciliation and unity in Iraq by forming an inclusive state system and strengthening national democratic institutions by creation of relevant opportunities.

Putin pointed to the proximity of positions Moscow and New Delhi take on acute international issues. "It is important Russia and India make similar approaches to key international problems. Our countries are for a political settlement of the conflict in Syria and promotion of national reconciliation in Afghanistan," Putin told the media after talks with India's visiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "We are certain that it is in the interests of the world community to form a wide anti-terrorist coalition operating on the basis of international law and under the auspices of the United Nations," Putin said.

A package of 15 documents was signed in the presence of the two leaders.

In particular, the parties signed a protocol on amendments to the agreement on simplification of trips of certain categories of citizens of the two countries dated December 21, 2010 and the agreement on mutual travels for holders of diplomatic and service passports dated December 3, 2004.

The parties also signed an agreement on cooperation in helicopter engineering. They signed an agreement confirming the end of the first stage of preparation for setting up a joint venture on the base of JSC Vankorneft.

In the presence of the two leaders six memorandums were signed. The parties signed a memo of understanding in the field of investment cooperation on Russia's Far East, a memo of understanding between Russian Railways and India's Ministry of Railways, a memo of understanding on cooperation in the field of geological exploration and production hydrocarbons on land and on the continental shelf of Russia. Russia's Energy Ministry and India's Solar Energy Corporation agreed on construction of solar power plants in India.

Russia's JSC Digital TV and India's Prasar Bharati signed a memo of understanding on cooperation in the field of broadcasting, as well as cooperation on advanced computer systems development in the field of design and development of navigation receivers supported by GLONASS and IRNSS. Russia's Federal Customs Service and India's Main Directorate of Excise and Customs agreed on interaction if fighting customs offenses in 2015-2017. Russia's state nuclear agency Rosatom and the Department of Atomic Energy under the government of India agreed on setting up a local production of equipment for the nuclear power plants in India which are built by Russian specialists.

Putin and Modi have also discussed prospects of participation of Russian business in implementation of India's program of import substitution. "We've discussed the prospects of participation of Russian business in implementation of India's import substitution program, which is called "Made in India." We see it as an additional opportunity of setting joint ventures, sharing technologies, producing high value-added products," Putin said.