MASCOW, July 4, Reuter: Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachevy and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi has praised their countries’ relations after two days of talks which analysts said had boosted their economic and political ties.
Gorbachev said bilateral relations were of a “special character”, while Gandhi called relations “unique”. Both were speaking at a Kremlin ceremony yesterday to open a yearlong Indian cultural festival in Moscow.
The two leaders also signed an agreement for longterm scientific and technological cooperation and expressed the desire to expand trade, the official news agency TASS said.
“The sides confirmed their desire to switch more vigorously to new forms and ways of cooperation, to develop coproduction and specialization of production, set up direct talks between Soviet and Indian ministries, amalgamations, enterprises and firms”, TASS said.
Analysts in Moscow, in an initial assessment, said Gandhi’s trip had strengthened his country’s political and economic ties with its largest arms supplier and a major trading partner.
The two countries aim to double their annual trade to 100 billion rupees (7.6 million dollars) by 1992.
The analysts said the trip could also have boosted Gandhi’s standing in India, where his Congress (I) party suffered a heavy defeat in an important election in the northern state of Haryana on June 18.
TASS said there had been mutual understanding and goodwill on international issues. New Delhi avoids criticism of Moscow’s intervention in Afghanistan, where it sent troops in 1979, and the Kremlin sees a strong stake in good relations with India.
The analysts said Moscow had made clear its intention to maintain close ties with New Delhi, its strongest ally in a region where it has to cope with the different views of the United States, Pakistan and China.
Gandhi was in Moscow to open a multimillion dollar festival involving more than 3,000 Indian musicians, dancers, actors and sportsmen in events in more than 100 cities.
Gandhi and Gorbachev inaugurated the festival in a ceremony including traditional dancing and Indian pagentry beneath the gold onion domes of the cathedral square in the Kremlin.
They later attended a colorful extravaganza of traditional Indian dancing and singing in Moscow’s Lenin Stadium at which Gorbachev grasped Gandhi’s hand and held it high above their heads in a show of solidarity.
TASS said Gandhi left for home early this morning.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 10, 1987
