Answering the students’ questions, President Medvedev announced that Russia is ready to help India fight terrorism by providing arms and technology, and to regularly hold joint military exercises. The President also spoke in favour of expanding defence and security cooperation between Russia and India.
Mr Medvedev said that Russia considers India a worthy candidate for UN Security Council membership and confirmed that Russia will support India’s membership bid if the decision is made to expand the Security Council.
Regarding the issue of a missile defence system in Europe, the President said that if Russia and NATO do not make an optimum coordinated decision, politicians could find themselves facing some most difficult issues 5 to 7 years down the line. Unilateral missile defence development would force the other party into having to build up its nuclear strike capability.
On the situation in Iran, which was among the subjects raised at the meeting, Mr Medvedev said he hopes that the six-party talks produce a successful outcome that would enable Russia to resume full cooperation with Iran.
The Indian Institute of Technology was established in 1958 with Soviet financial and technical assistance and UNESCO’s support, and is one of the biggest R&D centres in India. It ranked in 47th place in the 2010 rating of research institutions in the machine-building and information technology fields.