New Delhi [India], December 4 (ANI): Former Foreign Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Thursday said the upcoming visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit will mark a significant expansion of bilateral ties between the two nations, as discussions are expected to be moving decisively beyond traditional sectors of energy and defence into new and unexplored areas of cooperation.

Speaking to ANI ahead of Putin's two-day state visit to India after almost four years, Shringla noted that the Russian President's visit for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, accompanied by a high-level delegation, including seven ministers--among them the finance minister, defence minister, and the governor of Russia's central bank--underscores the focus on deepening economic ties.

He added that India expects Russia to give 'due attention' to expanding market access for Indian exports, especially in sectors where the two countries have not previously collaborated extensively.

'It is an important visit. President Putin is coming after four years for the 23rd annual summit. he is coming with a delegation of seven ministers, including finance and defence, and central bank governors. The focus is a lot on the economic cooperation aspect. We expect that on Indian exports, Russia will give due attention, especially in areas which we haven't explored before,' the former Foreign Secretary said.

Shirngla noted that untapped Indian sectors such as agricultural and marine products, engineering goods, IT services, rare-earth collaboration, technology transfer for India's space programme, and even a potential urea plant in Russia will be focal points for the summit.

'Agricultural products, marine products, engineering goods, IT, there are talks of a urea plant to be set up in Russia, collaboration on rare earth, and tech transfer for our space programme. The gamut of economic cooperation is very wide, and it's good that we are looking at our relationship with Russia beyond the normal areas of energy and defence,' the MP noted.

The former foreign secretary also confirmed discussions on the proposed RELOS (Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support) agreement, which would allow both nations to use each other's ports and airspace for joint exercises and training.

'There are also talks to sign a RELOS agreement which will enable both sides to use their respective ports and airspace for joint exercises and training. It is a very wide canvas of cooperation we are seeing. We are definitely looking at a positive outcome,' he stated.

The Reciprocal Exchange of Logistic Support (RELOS), signed on February 18 earlier this year, was recently forwarded for ratification by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

Putin is set to arrive in New Delhi on Thursday evening on a two-day state visit and will also take part in the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.

This is his first visit here since the Ukraine conflict began in 2022. The last time he visited the country was in December 2021. (ANI)