Putin looks forward to new high in ties

The Russian President greets India on the 60th anniv of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in a greeting's message to President A P J Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the strategic partnership between India and Russia is in the long-term national interests of both the countries.

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Putin was speaking on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

''Throughout the centuries, the people of Russia and India have always felt sincere friendship for each other, genuine interest in each other's rich cultural and creative heritage and the desire for mutually beneficial and diverse cooperation,'' the Kremlin press service quoted Putin as saying in his message to Kalam.

Putin also expressed his ''sincere gratitude for the immense contribution Abdul Kalam has made in strengthening the friendship between Russia and India,'' it said.

''We have acquired great experience in mutually beneficial cooperation at various levels over the last 60 years,'' Putin said in his message to Dr Singh.

''Russia highly values its friendly relations with India, relations that have stood the test of time and have demonstrated exceptional stability and continuity,'' he said.

''This has made it possible to take the multifaceted cooperation between the two countries to the level of a strategic partnership that is in the long-term national interests of both and in the interests of stability and security in Asia and throughout the world,'' he said.

Putin said he was sure the major coming events -- ''the Year of Russia in India, 2008, and the Year of India in Russia, 2009, would further enrich the two countries' bilateral relations.''