Russian President Dmitry Medvedev:
Mr Prime Minister,
I’m very pleased to meet you during the international events, in which we have just taken part.
I consider this scheduled meeting as a prelude to my visit to India and as continuation of the meaningful dialogue that our friendly countries have conducted on all urgent questions on the agenda.
Our countries have a very close, long-standing and trust-based partnership, and I consider its further development one of my priorities.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (as retranslated from Russian):
Mr President,
India and Russia have been close partners since we became independent. For us, relations with Russia are full of emotions. Russia has always helped us, particularly when we launched industrialisation; it has always supported us in times of trial.
It is very important for us to receive Russia’s full-scale support in military cooperation, which includes technical cooperation. Owing to economic contacts with Russia, we are making steady headway in the production of hydrocarbons. I could quote a whole list of areas in which cooperation with Russia helped our progress, but I’m afraid it would be too long.
We are hoping for very close, strong and productive relations with Russia in the future.
I think that the new era of our bilateral relations began in 2000, when we launched strategic cooperation between our countries during President Putin’s visit to India. Since then it has been a tradition to hold annual meetings at top level. I believe that this summit [G8] will further facilitate our cooperation.
We are looking forward to your visit to India later this year during which you will close the Year of Russia in India (as you know, it was opened by Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov). Welcome to India.
Dmitry Medvedev:
Mr Prime Minister,
Our two countries are facing a number of threats. Terrorism is one of the most fundamental dangers, and in this context I’d like to express my condolences in connection with the death of Indian diplomats in the recent explosion in Kabul.