Manmohan-Putin to ink four agreements in Moscow

India [ Images ] and Russia [ Images ] will sign four agreements in the fields of defence and space during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's [ Images ] three-day visit to Russia from December 4.

Ahead of Dr Singh's arrival on Sunday, for his annual summit with President Vladimir Putin [ Images ], Indian Ambassador to Moscow [ Images ] Kunwal Sibal said the two sides will sign the Intellectual Property Rights on Defence Agreement, Amendment to the Protocol on Inter-Governmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation for the period till 2010, Technology Safeguards Agreement regarding GLONASS and accord on solar physics.

The high-powered delegation of 21 members, accompanying the prime minister, include National Security Adviser M K Narayanan, Principal Secretary T K A Nair, Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakokdar and Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman Madhvan Nair.

A 14-member business delegation comprising prominent industrialists from ICCI and FICCI will also accompany him to hold wide-ranging interaction with the senior officials of the Russian Chambers of Commerce and Industry on December 5 at the Baltschug Hotel.

Issues relating to defence, space and energy security will remain high on the agenda of talks at the summit, Sibal said, adding, "This is a vital component of our overall strategic relationship and both sides have interest in strengthening this component."