Russia may back India’s UN ambitions

As Russian president Dmitry Medvedev today becomes the fourth 'big-power' leader to visit India this year, the focus is firmly on deal-making – particularly in the areas of nuclear energy and defence.

But in a larger sense, the range of agreements to be signed during the visit will indicate the wide areas of cooperation and convergence of views between New Delhi and Moscow.

India and Russia are wrapping up final negotiations for signing of at least 15 agreements, including the spheres of defence, nuclear energy, space, to science and technology, hydrocarbons and even electoral reforms, during Medvedev's visit.

Medvedev will hold bilateral talks on Tuesday with prime minister Manmohan Singh at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

Medvedev may also be supportive of India's claim for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. But Fyodor Lukyanov, an analyst at the Council on Foreign and Defence Policy in Moscow, said that Russia is ''very cautious'' about changes to the Security Council, looking to safeguard its role.

Officials said New Delhi and Moscow have completed a decade of strategic partnership, an agreement for which was signed in 2000, and to carry forward the momentum, a new ''very serious and focussed'' joint document is being prepared