Between 16 and 19 November, New Delhi hosted the 10th meeting of the Inter-Governmental Russian-Indian Commission for Commercial, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation, holding sessions of the Commission’s various working groups.

Leaded by Alexander Ananenkov, Deputy Chairman of Gazprom’s Management Committee, Gazprom’s delegation took part in the Commission’s meetings as well as the Oil and Gas Working Group session.

Upon the meetings finalization, the participants signed a Protocol, expressing the desire to promote cooperation between the 2 countries via all the directions involved. Alexander Zhukov, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Federation Government put his signature to the Protocol on the Russian side.

In addition to the participation in the Inter-Governmental Commission’s meetings, Gazprom’s representatives held talks with Gas Authority of India Limited on a wide spectrum of businesses in the gas industry as well as initialed a Strategic Cooperation Agreement projected to be concluded within the Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India.

Stanislav Tsygankov, Head of Gazprom’s Foreign Relations Department signed the Agreement on behalf of Gazprom. The Document identifies the companies’ businesses in the oil and gas industry of Russia, India and other countries, with sustainable and long-term energy supplies to India, including natural gas pipeline shipments from neighboring countries, to be in the main focus of the firms.

Deep processing of natural gas and other hydrocarbons as well as deliveries of these products to Asia Pacific and South Asia were also pointed out to be among key directions of cooperation.

In the course of the visit, Alexander Ananenkov met R.S. Butola, Managing Director of ONGC Videsh Limited – one of the major oil and gas production firms in India. The parties addressed potential cooperation in the exploration and development of oil and gas fields, in the Sakhalin offshore inclusive, achieving an accord to produce and sign a Memorandum of understanding.

Reference:

Gazprom and Gas Authority of India Limited signed a Memorandum of understanding in October 2002 and are being jointly involved in the development of Block 26 in the Bengal Bay, pursuant to a Production Sharing Agreement signed with the Government of the Republic of India.

DIVISION OF RELATIONS WITH MASS MEDIA