Expressing the hope that the bilateral strategic partnership with Russia [Images] will achieve further heights, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] on Friday said the rapid growth of the two economies will create new opportunities for mutual cooperation, particularly in the area of energy security.

"Russia occupies a special and unique place in India's foreign relations. Our time-tested relationship is based on deep mutual trust and understanding," Dr Singh said in an interview to RIA Novosti news agency, ahead of his proposed visit to Moscow [Images], starting this Sunday.

"Today India and Russia are strategic partners. Our geo-political interests have always had much in common. We have intensive contacts at all levels, not least through the mechanism of annual summit-level exchanges institutionalised by President Putin during his first visit to India in 2000," Dr Singh said.

Stressing India will continue cooperation in the field of nuclear energy with Russia, the prime minister said India is going to diversify its energy sources.

"We have plans to produce 20,000 MW of nuclear energy by 2020. International civil nuclear energy cooperation will enable us to augment our nuclear energy production," Dr Singh said.

Pointing out defence cooperation was an "integral element" of the Indo-Russian strategic partnership, he said, "Russia is the only country with which we have a formal mechanism of an Inter-Governmental Commission for Military-Technical Cooperation, which meets annually under the chairmanship of the two defence ministers. Many defence contracts are at various stages of implementation. Joint research, development and production of defence equipment will continue to play an important role in strengthening India's strategic partnership with Russia," the prime minister said.

He observed that the two countries had enjoyed close ties over the last 60 years.

"Today India and Russia are strategic partners. Our geo-political interests have always had much in common. We have intensive contacts at all levels, not least through the mechanism of annual summit-level exchanges institutionalised by President Putin during his first visit to India in 2000," Dr Singh said.

"I am grateful to President Putin for his strong personal commitment to Indo-Russian relations," he said.