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MOSCOW. (Igor Tomberg for RIA Novosti) -...
The Russian President made an indirect reference to its importance for Moscow, and Sergei Ivanov said plainly during his Indian trip: "We are pegging big hopes on Gazprom-GAIL strategic partnership, including joint efforts in building the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline."Putin's visit to India demonstrates Moscow's resolve to veer its energy policy towards Asia. India may be attracted not only by Russia's rich resources, but also by its scientific and technical potential in nuclear power technologies. At the same time, India's interest in hydrocarbons may lead to greater cooperation in funding exploration and development of oil and gas fields in Russia. In turn, Russian companies will take part in marketing oil products and LNG in India.
Bilateral energy cooperation rests on two major factors - historical traditions and the leaders' political will to upgrade it. Clearly, the commercial future of the projects is a question of time and effort.