India, Russia to set up commission on military cooperation

Fernandes, who is on a five-day visit to Russia, said, "This step is aimed at imparting greater impetus to military cooperation between the two countries and to ensure accelerated decision making".

The Commission will have two working groups — one to beheaded by Defence Secretary and his Russian counterpart and the other by Secretary of Defence Production and his counterpart.

During Fernandes’ meeting with Russian leaders, the two sides voiced concern at the growing menace of international terrorism and religious extremism which have been threatening to destabilise the situation in various parts of Asia.

The two sides reiterated their resolve to continue to draw the attention of the international community to such destabilising developments and the need for assessing them in the right perspective, a senior official said.

Fernandes also discussed with Russian leaders the recent developments in Sierra Leone and Fiji. The two sides agreed to work together on such issues and hoped that the impasse would not continue for long.

New Delhi and Moscow held detailed parleys on all aspects of bilateral relationship while recalling the close ties which existed between the two countries, particularly in various areas in defence.

Fernandes said the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India in the first ten days of October would mark an "important milestone" in Indo-Russian relations. During that visit, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Putin would sign the crucial declaration on strategic partnership.

Fernandes, who is leading a high-level defence delegation, is scheduled to return home on June 30.