New Delhi: India and Russia signed a raft of agreements on Tuesday, including a framework accord on the building of two Russian nuclear reactors, and a pact to design and develop fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
The accords were signed following talks in New Delhi between visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Indian Premier Manmohan Singh, during which both sides set a target of doubling bilateral trade to 20 billion dollars by 2015.
The nuclear agreement covered the building of two additional generating units at a nuclear power plant in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, where Russia is already setting up two reactors, a joint statement said.
Energy-hungry India is one of the world's biggest markets for nuclear technology with plans to reach a nuclear power capacity of 63,000 megawatts by 2032, from the current level of 4,560 megawatts.
The accord on jointly developing a fifth-generation fighter with stealth capabilities could be worth up to 30 billion dollars, with India planning to bring up to 300 of the aircraft in its air force.
In the joint statement, Russia also voiced its support for India 'as a deserving and strong candidate' for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council.