India, Russia to bolster ties in railways, UAVs, SJ-100 planes, critical mineral sectors

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) India and Russia on Friday agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in railway transport, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), SJ-100 regional planes, and critical minerals.

The discussions for bolstering ties were held at the 12th Session of the India-Russia Working Group on Modernisation and Industrial Cooperation under the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation at Vanijya Bhawan here.

Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, co-chaired the meeting from the Indian side, while Alexey Gruzdev, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia, co-chaired from the Russian side.

New areas of cooperation in railway transport such as infrastructure facilities, the Vande Bharat train project, and signalling equipment were taken up for discussion. Moreover, cooperation in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), 3-D printing, production of the Russian regional aircraft SJ-100, which is a narrow-body jet capable of carrying 103 passengers, and aero-engines were also discussed.

Further, cooperation in carbon-fibre technologies and propulsion systems, DAP and NPK fertiliser supplies, automation, critical minerals, lithium mining and titanium technologies, along with enhanced collaboration in aluminium, mining equipment and exploration of rare earth elements were discussed during the session.

The meeting reviewed the progress made since the 11th session and discussed collaboration across the identified sub-groups on modernisation, mining, fertilisers and railway transport. Key areas in the 12th session included cooperation in the field of modern industrialisation, science and technology, aerospace, railway infrastructure, mineral fertilisers and chemicals, rare earths and critical minerals, exploration and capacity building in the renewable energy sector, power engineering, industrial infrastructure, mining equipment, aluminium sector and joint venture for urea production, according to an official statement issued after the meeting.

The Protocol of the 12th Session of the Working Group was signed by both the co-chairs, reaffirming the strategic India-Russia partnership with the aim to deepen industrial and economic cooperation. The session was attended by around 60 delegates from both sides, the statement added.

–IANS

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