The agreements, signed after the Annual Summit meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the Kremlin in Moscow this afternoon, also includes signing of a pathbreaking agreement for expanding civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries that goes far beyond even the 123 agreement inked by India with the US.

The agreement will give New Delhi the right to reprocess spent fuel, taking the pact far beyond the 123 agreement inked with the US.

The pathbreaking civil nuclear deal signed between the two countries commits Russia to transfer enrichment and reprocessing technologies to India.

It also ensures uninterrupted uranium fuel supplies from Russia to nuclear reactors in India.

The agreement expands civil nuclear cooperation between India and Russia beyond just supplies of nuclear reactors, to cover research and development and an entire gamut of issues in nuclear cooperation, the Prime Minister told reporters at a joint press conference with Medvedev after the signing of the agreements.

The two countries also signed an agreement to cooperate in the peaceful use of nuclear technology.

The two countries also signed a pact on increasing defence cooperation between them. The agreement, that runs from 2011 to 2022, commits Moscow to offer sales support to New Delhi for the Defence equipment it sells to India.

An agreement for cultural exchange between the two countries till 2012 was also signed. They also inked a deal for cooperation between the two countries on the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes.

On the occasion, Dr Singh and Medvedev also adopted a joint declaration for deepening of the strategic partnership between India and Russia to meet global challenges.

Dr Singh said, We welcome greater Russian participation in the expansion of our nuclear energy programme. The successful conclusion of negotiations on an inter Governmental Agreement on cooperation in the peaceful uses of atomic energy is a major step forward in strengthening our existing cooperation in the field.

On the Defence agreements signed between the two countries, the Prime Minister said, The agreements that we have signed in the field of defence cooperation, in particular on the programme for military and technical cooperation for the period 2011 to 2020, will provide a basis for an extensive and broad based cooperation in this vital area.#