Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday congratulated President Pratibha Patil for her 30-minute sortie on a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet, describing it as a 'heroic act' and a 'bright symbol' of bilateral relations .
"The Russian President, who has previously flown in Sukhoi Su-34
frontline bomber, is well aware of the gravity and strain endured in such flights, expressed his earnest admiration at, without exaggeration, the heroic act of Pratibha Patil," the Kremlin said in statement.
In his telephonic conversation with Patil, Medvedev underscored that her flight on the fighter assembled in India under the Russian license, has become yet another bright symbol of the development of friendly relations between the two countries and has demonstrated the widest opportunities of longterm Indo-Russian defence cooperation.
Earlier, Director General State Arms Export Corporation of Russia Anatoly Isaikin hailed Patil's flight in the fighter as an expression of "highest trust" in the country and its combat jets.
"The flight of the Indian President, Pratibha Patil on Su-30MKI fighter is a worthy event of the Year of India in Russia, which is coming to a close and an expression of the highest trust in Russia and the Russian combat machines," Isaikin said in a statement.
He said Patil's flight is also yet another testimony of the developing mutually beneficial military-technical ties between the two strategic partners.