Putin arrives on a four-day visit

New Delhi, Oct 2: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived here this evening at the head of a high-level delegation on a four-day landmark visit during which he will sign about ten agreements including the `declaration of strategic partnership’ with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

The President, who arrived at the Air Force Station, Palam, by special aircraft IL-96, was received by External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and Minister-in-waiting Arun Shourie.

Putin arrived at 1955 hrs, 45 minutes behind schedule.

The visit by a Russian President, coming after seven-and-a-half years, is seen as an attempt to further strengthen the Indo-Russian cooperation in the fields of trade, defence, science and technology.