Russia keen to involve ONGC in oil and gas hunt in the Arctic: Vladimir Putin

New Delhi: “Governor of the Republic of Crimea” Sergey Aksyonov is expected to accompany Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to India on Thursday, as a part of his delegation, Russian government sources said on Wednesday.

Crimea has been a bone of contention between Russia and Ukraine, with the former saying the region has acceded to it officially from Ukraine earlier this year. Russia maintains that Crimea has always historically been its part and that several countries are now in the process of recognising the status.

Indian government sources, however, said that Russia has so far not sought any support from India on the issue. But the presence of Mr Aksyonov as “Governor of the Republic of Crimea” could stir a controversy.

Ahead of his daylong visit for the 15th Annual India-Russia Summit on Thursday Mr Putin has termed ties with India as “privileged strategic partnership” and said construction of new nuclear plants besides military and technical cooperation was high on the agenda for talks.

He said that Russia was keen to export liquefied natural gas to India and involve ONGC in oil and gas hunt in the Arctic.

Russia, which is feeling the heat of economic sanctions by Western countries and also dwindling oil prices, is expected to turn to India for more support to negate the impact.

India is expected to strongly take up the issue of growing defence cooperation between Russia and Pakistan, which has worried New Delhi.

India however has already made it clear that it “will not be a party to economic sanctions (imposed by the West) against Russia.”

On Thursday, at about 11.30 am, President Putin will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hold talks with him followed by delegation-level talks between the two countries.