Former Indian foreign secretary and current Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Thursday expected that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ongoing visit to his country is helping them look at the relations between the two countries beyond conventional areas of energy and defence.

“It is very encouraging that we are looking at our relationship with Russia beyond the normal areas of energy and defence. There is also a people-to-people element because there is talk of a mobility agreement that we will sign that will enable Indian semi-skilled and skilled workers to work in Russia,” he told reporters while sharing his observation on Putin’s visit to India to attend the 23rd Annual Summit between India and Russia. Terming it an important visit after four years, Shringla said Putin has 7 ministers, including the Finance Minister, the Defence Minister, and the Central Bank Governor.

“The focus of the India-Russia Forum will be on the economic cooperation aspect. We expect that Indian exports to Russia will be given due attention, especially in areas we have not explored before- agriculture products, marine products, engineering goods, IT, urea plant being set up in Russia, collaboration on rare earth elements, technology transfer for our space program, and civil nuclear energy cooperation. This gamut of economic cooperation is extensive,” he added.

The former Indian foreign secretary said they will sign a reloss agreement, which is a reciprocal exchange of logistic support, which will enable both sides to use their respective ports and airspace for joint exercises, training, and humanitarian efforts.

“I think talks will be held today (Thursday), and we are looking at some very positive outcomes... There is talk that we will order the remaining two S-400s to be supplied. There is talk of four or five more of these systems. There is also talk of a S-500 collaboration. There is talk of Russia putting the Su-57 at our disposal, which is a fifth-generation aircraft and will upgrade the capabilities of our Air Force.

Putin arrived in Delhi on Thursday evening for a two-day state visit, his first trip to India since the start of Moscow’s war in Ukraine. The visit, extended at the invitation of Modi, comes as the two nations mark 25 years of their strategic partnership.

Putin’s last visit to India was several years before Donald Trump was re-elected, overturned years of close US-India relations with imposition of huge import tariffs.