Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephonic conversation on Monday during which both exchanged greeting for the new year 2019, with PM Modi wishing President Putin and people of Russia on the occasion of Christmas. Christmas is celebrated in Russia on January 7.&nbsp;

Vladimir Putin wished Narendra Modi success in connection with the upcoming parliamentary elections in India.&nbsp;

Putin also invited PM to take part in the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok in September 2019 as the main guest.

According to the ministry of external affairs release, "the two leaders appreciated the major milestones achieved in the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries in the past year".&nbsp;

Both the leaders recalled the "successful wide-ranging discussions" during the informal summit in Sochi in May of 2018 and during President Putin's visit to New Delhi in October for the Annual Summit with both agreeing "to maintain the momentum in the bilateral relations". This year, Russia will host the annual summit.

The leaders discussed bilateral cooperation in the key areas including defence and counter-terrorism and agreed that India-Russia cooperation "plays an important role in the global multilateral order." &nbsp;

Remember roughly 70% of India's defence equipment is Russian in origin. During the 17th Annual Summit, the sides concluded agreements on the supply of S-400 air defence systems, construction of frigates under Project 1135.6 and shareholders agreement on the formation of joint venture to manufacture Ka-226T helicopters in India. The two countries also hold exchanges and training exercises between their armed forces annually.&nbsp;

Russia and India have been engaging in various forums such as SCO, BRICS and G20. On the sidelines of G20 in 2018, Russia, India and China met for the RIC meet which happened after a gap of 12 years.&nbsp;

According to Russian Federal Customs Service data, bilateral trade during in 2016 amounted to US$ 7.71 billion, with Indian exports amounting to US$ 2.39 billion and imports from Russia amounting to US$ 5.32 billion.&nbsp;

Both are also focusing on connectivity via the International North-South Transport Corridor that will connect Mumbai to Moscow.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephonic conversation on Monday during which both exchanged greeting for the new year 2019, with PM Modi wishing President Putin and people of Russia on the occasion of Christmas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephonic conversation on Monday during which both exchanged greeting for the new year 2019, with PM Modi wishing President Putin and people of Russia on the occasion of Christmas. Christmas is celebrated in Russia on January 7. Vladimir Putin wished Narendra Modi success in connection with the upcoming parliamentary elections in India. Putin also invited PM to take part in the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok in September 2019 as the main guest. According to the ministry of external affairs release, "the two leaders appreciated the major milestones achieved in the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries in the past year". Both the leaders recalled the "successful wide-ranging discussions" during the informal summit in Sochi in May of 2018 and during President Putin's visit to New Delhi in October for the Annual Summit with both agreeing "to maintain the momentum in the bilateral relations". This year, Russia will host the annual summit. The leaders discussed bilateral cooperation in the key areas including defence and counter-terrorism and agreed that India-Russia cooperation "plays an important role in the global multilateral order." Remember roughly 70% of India's defence equipment is Russian in origin. During the 17th Annual Summit, the sides concluded agreements on the supply of S-400 air defence systems, construction of frigates under Project 1135.6 and shareholders agreement on the formation of joint venture to manufacture Ka-226T helicopters in India. The two countries also hold exchanges and training exercises between their armed forces annually. Russia and India have been engaging in various forums such as SCO, BRICS and G20. On the sidelines of G20 in 2018, Russia, India and China met for the RIC meet which happened after a gap of 12 years. According to Russian Federal Customs Service data, bilateral trade during in 2016 amounted to US$ 7.71 billion, with Indian exports amounting to US$ 2.39 billion and imports from Russia amounting to US$ 5.32 billion. Both are also focusing on connectivity via the International North-South Transport Corridor that will connect Mumbai to Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin calls PM Modi, discusses key strategic issues wishes success in Lok Sabha polls

Thai authorities today hunted for culprits behind a wave of bombings targeting popular holiday destinations, as businesses braced for the economic fallout from the attacks on the crucial tourism industry. 
 
The kingdom was on edge after 11 small bombs and a series of suspected arson attacks exploded across seven southern provinces Thursday night and Friday morning, killing four locals and wounding more than 30 people - including foreign tourists. 
 
The bombs, most of them detonated in twin blasts, struck key tourism hubs during a long weekend, including the seaside resort town of Hua Hin and the island of Phuket. 
 
No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but police have ruled out international terrorism and said the campaign was an act of &quot;local sabotage&quot;. 
 
They said the motive was still unclear, but stressed the assault was not connected to a simmering insurgency in Thailand&#39;s southern tip, as some analysts have suggested. 
 
&quot;I can assure you that this is not a terrorist attack or the expansion of militants from the three southernmost provinces,&quot; deputy police commissioner Ponsapat Pongcharoen told reporters. 
 
If the southern Muslim rebels are to blame, it would mark a major expansion of a secessionist campaign that rarely targets foreigners. 
 
It would also be a huge embarrassment to Thailand&#39;s coup-installed military government, which has made boosting national security a flagship policy of its regime. 
 
Junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha confirmed today that at least one man had been detained for questioning over a suspected arson attack in Nakhon Si Thammarat province that coincided with the bombings. 
 
But Prayut stressed it was just a preliminary investigation. 
 
&quot;Don&#39;t say he was arrested, he is just under investigation by officials and being questioned. Please be calm,&quot; he said. 
 
&#39;Confidence will return&#39; 
 
In hardest-hit Hua Hin, a popular beach resort far from the conflict zone that was rocked by four bombs, locals said they were fearful the town&#39;s mainstay tourist industry would suffer just ahead of peak season. 
 
&quot;Hua Hin has never had a problem like this,&quot; Nai Amporn, the owner of a beachside restaurant, told AFP. 
 
&quot;I am afraid business will become slow - even this morning, you can see there are fewer people here for breakfast. I think they have all gone home,&quot; he added. 
 
Famed for its idyllic islands and Buddhist temples, Thailand is a tourism powerhouse and was hoping for a record 32 million visitors this year. 
 
The sector accounts for at least 10 percent of Thailand&#39;s economy, which the military government has struggled to invigorate since its 2014 power grab. 
 
&quot;The confidence in tourism will return,&quot; tourism minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said today, adding that the industry is still aiming for a target revenue of $69 billion in 2016. 
 
An August 2015 bombing at a Bangkok shrine that killed 20 people - mostly tourists - was followed by a sudden drop in visitors. But it did not stop the kingdom from welcoming a record high of nearly 30 million travellers that year. 
 
&#39;Rebels capable&#39; 
 
The recent bombings were aimed at striking the vital tourism sector without causing extensive carnage, said Anthony Davis, a security analyst at IHS Jane&#39;s. 
 
&quot;This will have a significant impact on the tourist season in the south this year and into early 2017, using tactics that were clearly intended not to cause mass casualties,&quot; he told AFP. 
 
He said southern insurgents were the only domestic group capable of carrying out the coordinated assault. 
 
&quot;They have the operational infrastructure and the manpower. Arguably, extending the campaign in a striking manner was only a matter of time,&quot; he told AFP, adding that the junta&#39;s initial efforts to negotiate with the rebels had reached an impasse. 
 
Davis said it was unlikely the junta&#39;s other political foes - supporters of the ousted government loyal to ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra - were responsible for the attack, as they have been under close military surveillance since the coup. 
 
The bombings came less than a week after the junta&#39;s draft of a new charter was approved in a referendum. 
 
The poll was held in in a repressive climate, with criticism of the document banned under a harsh anti-campaigning law. 
 
Only the north and northeast - strongholds of the ousted government - and the three insurgent-torn provinces rejected the charter. 
 
The southern rebellion, waged by Muslim militants seeking greater autonomy from the Buddhist-majority state, has killed more than 6,500 people since it erupted in 2004. 
 
(AFP)

Junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha confirmed today that at least one man had been detained for questioning over a suspected arson attack

Thai authorities today hunted for culprits behind a wave of bombings targeting popular holiday destinations, as businesses braced for the economic fallout from the attacks on the crucial tourism industry. The kingdom was on edge after 11 small bombs and a series of suspected arson attacks exploded across seven southern provinces Thursday night and Friday morning, killing four locals and wounding more than 30 people - including foreign tourists. The bombs, most of them detonated in twin blasts, struck key tourism hubs during a long weekend, including the seaside resort town of Hua Hin and the island of Phuket. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but police have ruled out international terrorism and said the campaign was an act of "local sabotage". They said the motive was still unclear, but stressed the assault was not connected to a simmering insurgency in Thailand's southern tip, as some analysts have suggested. "I can assure you that this is not a terrorist attack or the expansion of militants from the three southernmost provinces," deputy police commissioner Ponsapat Pongcharoen told reporters. If the southern Muslim rebels are to blame, it would mark a major expansion of a secessionist campaign that rarely targets foreigners. It would also be a huge embarrassment to Thailand's coup-installed military government, which has made boosting national security a flagship policy of its regime. Junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha confirmed today that at least one man had been detained for questioning over a suspected arson attack in Nakhon Si Thammarat province that coincided with the bombings. But Prayut stressed it was just a preliminary investigation. "Don't say he was arrested, he is just under investigation by officials and being questioned. Please be calm," he said. 'Confidence will return' In hardest-hit Hua Hin, a popular beach resort far from the conflict zone that was rocked by four bombs, locals said they were fearful the town's mainstay tourist industry would suffer just ahead of peak season. "Hua Hin has never had a problem like this," Nai Amporn, the owner of a beachside restaurant, told AFP. "I am afraid business will become slow - even this morning, you can see there are fewer people here for breakfast. I think they have all gone home," he added. Famed for its idyllic islands and Buddhist temples, Thailand is a tourism powerhouse and was hoping for a record 32 million visitors this year. The sector accounts for at least 10 percent of Thailand's economy, which the military government has struggled to invigorate since its 2014 power grab. "The confidence in tourism will return," tourism minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said today, adding that the industry is still aiming for a target revenue of $69 billion in 2016. An August 2015 bombing at a Bangkok shrine that killed 20 people - mostly tourists - was followed by a sudden drop in visitors. But it did not stop the kingdom from welcoming a record high of nearly 30 million travellers that year. 'Rebels capable' The recent bombings were aimed at striking the vital tourism sector without causing extensive carnage, said Anthony Davis, a security analyst at IHS Jane's. "This will have a significant impact on the tourist season in the south this year and into early 2017, using tactics that were clearly intended not to cause mass casualties," he told AFP. He said southern insurgents were the only domestic group capable of carrying out the coordinated assault. "They have the operational infrastructure and the manpower. Arguably, extending the campaign in a striking manner was only a matter of time," he told AFP, adding that the junta's initial efforts to negotiate with the rebels had reached an impasse. Davis said it was unlikely the junta's other political foes - supporters of the ousted government loyal to ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra - were responsible for the attack, as they have been under close military surveillance since the coup. The bombings came less than a week after the junta's draft of a new charter was approved in a referendum. The poll was held in in a repressive climate, with criticism of the document banned under a harsh anti-campaigning law. Only the north and northeast - strongholds of the ousted government - and the three insurgent-torn provinces rejected the charter. The southern rebellion, waged by Muslim militants seeking greater autonomy from the Buddhist-majority state, has killed more than 6,500 people since it erupted in 2004. (AFP)

Thai authorities hunt tourist town bombers

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