Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived on Friday to hold talks on expanding trade and cooperation withIndia. "We are alarmed by a difficult and dramatic situation in Iraq," Putin told The Hindu newspaper in written responses to questions. "This is the threat Russia repeatedly warned the U.S. and their rallies about before action was taken against the (Saddam) Hussein regime." He said a number of foreign leaders had expressed fears to him over the United States' decision to attack Iraq without overwhelming international support. "We have repeatedly called our American partners' attention to this reality," Putin said in his responses, published Friday. "And eventually they realized the need to reach a political settlement in Iraq using the U.N. mechanisms." While praising President Bush as a statesman and an ally in the war on terror, he also said he believed Bush's second administration "will undoubtedly bear in mind 'Iraqi lessons' when determining its foreign policy." During Putin's visit, the two countries were expected to make a joint declaration and sign several deals, including agreements on exploring peaceful uses of outer space, easier visa rules and India's inclusion in the Russia-promoted Global Satellite Navigation System, an Indian official said. Putin and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were also expected to discuss joint ventures to develop "futuristic weapons" and commercial production of a jointly developed supersonic cruise missile, the official said on condition of anonymity. Cooperation in information technology is another key feature of Putin's three-day visit. The Russian president is to travel to Bangalore, India's software capital, on Saturday to meet with business leaders and visit a top information technology company. Hours before Putin's arrival, the two countries agreed to draft an accord on intellectual property rights within five months, Indian Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee said after meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Ivanov. Mukherjee said they also discussed new investment to commercially produce the Brahmos, an anti-ship missile developed jointly by India and Russia. The missile has a target range of 290 kilometers (180 miles) and can carry up to a 300-kilogram (660-pound) conventional warhead. It is capable of being launched from ships, submarines, planes and land. "Military-technical cooperation between Russia and India helps in maintaining stability on the Indian subcontinent and is a crucial component of the entire range of bilateral relations," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said earlier this week. On Thursday, the two sides agreed to work out "mutually acceptable" conditions on leasing long-range TU-22 bombers. India's navy is also paying billions of dollars for a refurbished Russian aircraft carrier. Moscow has agreed to equip the craft with MiG-29 fighter jets. It is expected to join India's fleet in 2008. The biggest deal, however, would be the construction and lease to India of two nuclear submarines. Russia and India have close relations dating back to the Cold War, when the United States deepened ties with Pakistan. Russia is already helping India build two nuclear reactors. The first is to be completed by 2007, and the two countries are talking about building four more.
