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Moscow hopes to boost ties with New Delhi: AFP

Russia hopes to launch a new phase in relations with India when President Vladimir Putin visits New Delhi in October, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said on Friday.

As he began talks with Indian External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, Ivanov said: "Vladimir Putin's visit to India will give a fresh impetus to our relations. We attach great importance to our traditional partnership with India," he added.

Singh, on a four-day trip to Moscow to prepare for the Indo-Russian summit - Putin's first official visit to the Indian sub-continent - was to hold talks with the Russian president later in the day.

Moscow has had a close relationship with New Delhi since the Soviet era, acting as a major arms supplier. India recently began a rapprochement with the United States after US President Bill Clinton visited New Delhi in March, but Singh assured on Thursday this would not affect traditional ties with Russia.

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