Rustam Minnikhanov meets with Ambassador of India to Russia

On May 13, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov met with Ambassador of India to Russia Srinivasan Raghavan Pundi at the Kazan Kremlin.

Welcoming the ambassador, Rustam Minnikhanov said that for the last few years India has achieved success in social and economic development. Trade turnover in 2013 increased by 2.3 times. India is one of main customers of Kazan helicopters plant that supplied 160 civil and military aircrafts to the country from 2000 to 2012. KAMAZ assembly plant is also working in Tatarstan. Cooperation between TAIF group and Reliance group is developing. At the same time, Tatarstan President believes that Tatarstan and India have wide cooperation opportunities. Indian businessmen can implement investment projects at SEZ “Alabuga.” India is a country with the most developed IT industry, and it can take part in Innopolis project.

Tatarstan President also noted contacts in cultural and educational spheres. Days of Indian culture are regularly held in Tatarstan. Tatarstan higher educational institutions successfully cooperate with India, today Indian delegation will take part in celebration of 200th anniversary of Kazan State Medical University.

Cooperation may also be established in the sphere of tourism, Rustam Minnikhanov said.

Ambassador of India to Russia Srinivasan Raghavan Pundi called Tatarstan one of the most rapidly developing regions in Russia. “There is big cooperation potential between the countries. Tatarstan is one of the most prospective regions,” the Ambassador said.

Srinivasan Raghavan Pundi is sure that Tatarstan may be interesting for Indian investors. “Cooperation in defence industry is well developed. We should also develop cooperation in innovations, and other sectors. We are very satisfied with cooperation with Kazan State Medical University. We would like to see our students in engineering specialities and humanitarian sphere,” he said.

Summing up, Rustam Minnikhanov said that the current visit of Indian delegation will give new impetus to development of relations between Tatarstan and India, and asked to prepare the visit of Tatarstan delegation to India.