India and Russia reiterated on November 6 their commitment to further promote and strengthen bilateral strategic partnership oriented into the 21st century.

In a joint communique issued Saturday at the end of a visit by an official Russian delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Isifovich Klebanov, New Delhi and Moscow expressed satisfaction with the state of affairs and the pace of development of the Indo-Russian relations.

It said the two countries' relationship was "characterized by mutual respect, trust and mutual understanding and based on a national consensus existing in both countries for further promotion of fruitful cooperation."

The two countries Friday signed a protocol on military-technical cooperation, under which Russia agreed to supply military hardware to its traditional ally.

The protocol, basically the agreed minutes of the meeting of the Indo-Russian Joint Working Group held here earlier this week, was signed by the visiting Russian First Deputy Defense Minister N. V. Mikhailov and Indian Defense Secretary T. R. Prasad.

The Russian delegation arrived here Thursday night for talks with Indian leaders on military-technical cooperation between the two countries as well as sale of ammunition and defense equipment.

Mikhailov said after signing the protocol that "a whole package of initiatives on military-technical cooperation has been signed ... and all initiatives are inter-related."

The protocol, the Russian official said, "meets the accepted political decisions" and will "strengthen the potential of national security of both countries."

The seven-member Russian delegation and the Indian side had "gone into considerable details of military-technical cooperation and identifying areas of further cooperation," Indian Defense Secretary Prasad said.

During their four-day visit, Klebanov and the delegation met Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and Defense Minister George Fernandes.

Official sources said that during his 45-minute meeting with Vajpayee here Saturday, Klebanov gave to Vajpayee messages from Russian President Boris Yelsin and Prime Minister V. Putin.

The two sides had wide-ranging discussions on bilateral issues, the sources said.

This is the first Russian delegation to visit New Delhi after the Kashmir conflict in June and July between India and neighboring Pakistan.

Defense sources here said talks between the two sides concentrated on issues including purchases by India of military hardware and ammunition.

The Russian delegation is scheduled to conclude its India visit on Sunday. (Xinhua)