RusEnergy

MOSCOW, February 22 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is interested in Indian investments into the energy sector, Russian Vice Premier Alexander Zhukov said at a meeting with Indian Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar. "Russia is ready to consider different versions of such cooperation," Mr. Zhukov said. Russia sees India as a strategic energy partner and the Russian government is ready to take much effort in this sphere, he said. Mr. Aiyar said that a presentation of various projects, including one in the field of survey and production in India, was recently held for Russian oil and gas companies. He asked the Russian government to encourage companies willing to participate in Indian projects. India and Russia are interested in joint projects not only on their territories, but also in other CIS countries, Iran and others, where joint bilateral cooperation is possible, he said. Russia would like to consider Indian proposals for participation in projects involving Gazprom, Rosneft and Transneft, Russian Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko said when he met with Mr. Aiyar, according to a ministry statement. Mr. Khristenko outlined Russian interest in Indian companies' participation in geological survey and prospecting, the development of production fields of raw hydrocarbons in the Timan-Pechora oil and gas province, East Siberia and the Far Eastern region, West Siberia, the Barents and Okhotsk sea shelves, reads the press release. "We are satisfied with the level and nature of Russian-Indian relations. They are to be preserved and further developed," Mr. Khristenko stressed.