Hon’ble Vice President of India,

Hon’ble Speaker of the Lok Sabha,

Hon’ble Members of Parliament,

Distinguished Guests,

I would like to thank President Putin for his stimulating and thought provoking speech. These thoughts should guide us as we build upon our strategic partnership in the 21st century. It is indeed a privilege to have President Putin in our midst today.

Dobro pozhalavat !

Over two and a half centuries ago, Peter the Great had asked his Special Envoy Vice Admiral D. Wilster who had been sent to India to sign an agreement to ~work as hard as possible in order to have fruitful commercial relations between the two sides~.

Your Excellency, you are an inheritor of the legacy of Peter the Great and belong to the city that honours his memory. It is a city that withstood a siege of 900 days during the Second World War and gave the world a lesson in courage and endurance – qualities that the Russian people are justly famous for.

We are confident that your first visit to India will open a new chapter in Indo-Russian relations. We see in you a good friend of India and hold you in high esteem.

As the words of Peter the Great show, our ties go back centuries. Through the centuries, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky have inspired generations of Indians. Similarly, the prose of Munshi Prem Chand and the cinematic skills of Raj Kapoor have found committed followers in Russia.

This is the cultural and historical legacy which we have to build upon, and give new meaning to, as we enter the 21st century.

We share common concerns and have common interests. The history of the last five decades demonstrates that close Indo-Russian understanding is essential to peace and stability in Asia and the world.

This is what makes us strategic partners. Our friendship is not based on short-term calculations, but transcends the twists and turns of history and politics.

We are commemorating this year the 50th anniversary of the establishment of our Republic. We have reposed faith in the principles of democracy which are today universal ideals providing for the growth of the human being and society. Our democratic structures are rooted in the cardinal values of pluralism, secularism and tolerance.

Mr. President, not long ago, you had talked of the goodness of man in shaping relations in society and between States. This is what democracy is all about : empowering the people and releasing their creative energies.

India has embarked on an ambitious economic reform programme. We have had some success in our efforts at building a modern economy while ensuring distributive justice.

Along with the well-being of our people, we seek peace and security in our region and the world over. We have desired friendly and cooperative relations with the countries in our neighbourhood and beyond, based on mutual respect and civilised norms of behaviour. We intend to pursue this approach.

India has consistently striven for global disarmament and has been in the forefront of all international efforts in this direction.

We remain firmly committed to the creation of a nuclear weapons free world.

The continuous proliferation of nuclear weapons and missiles in our region has been of concern to us.

Mr. President, we have given formal shape to our relations by signing the Declaration on Strategic Partnership between India and the Russian Federation. This Declaration will guide us in further developing our cooperation.

Your historic visit to India will help in the further cementing of these bonds.

It is of significance that the views of both India and the Russian Federation overlap and intersect on a wide range of international issues.

Our positions on these subjects is based on mutuality of interests and shared perceptions. As we move towards the development of a new world order that is based on the principles of multipolarity, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of others, I am confident that the strength of Indo-Russian relations will prevail in the creation of a global order which fosters international peace, security and stability.

In this regard, the reform of the United Nations system becomes vital. We welcome Russia’s continued support to India’s candidature for permanent membership in an expanded United Nations Security Council.

One of the major challenges which we, in this region, have faced over a decade is the menace of international terrorism, religious extremism, drug trafficking and narco-terrorism and separatism.

These dangers do not recognise any borders and affect all. Terrorism cannot be allowed to become an instrument of State policy. The international community should resolve to overcome these challenges through concerted efforts.

I take this opportunity to extend our greetings and best wishes to the friendly people of the Great Russian Federation. I wish you, Mr. President, success in your endeavours in building a new Russia – a stable, democratic and confident Russia.

Thank you.