The Defence Minister Shri A K Antony leaves New Delhi tomorrow on a four day official visit to Moscow to attend the 7th India-Russia Inter Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation. He will be accompanied by a high level delegation of officers of the Ministries of Defence and External Affairs.
This visit is a part of structured mechanism that exists between the two countries for Defence Cooperation as per Agreement between the Government of India and Russia on establishing the Indo Russian Inter Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC). The meetings of the Commission co-chaired by the Defence Ministers of Russia and India are held once a year alternatively in Delhi and Moscow to review the progress of military-technical cooperation between the two countries. The 6th meeting of the IRIGC was held in Delhi on January 24, 2007.
During his stay in Moscow, Shri Antony will hold discussions with the Russian Defence Minister Mr Serdyukov Anatoly Eduardovich and visit important Defence Installations including the Tactical Missiles Corporation (TMC) and the Federal State Unitary Enterprise NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM). The Defence Minister will lay a wreath at the Tomb of Unknown Soldiers in Alexandrovsky Garden and visit the Kremlin Museum.
The visit is indicative of the commitment of the leadership of both countries to consolidate and strengthen the excellent defence relations that exist between the two countries. A wide range of issues relating to Defence Cooperation between the two countries are to be discussed between the two sides. The discussions will culminate into a Protocol to be signed at the end of the IRIGC session.