Singh and Putin Set To Discuss Taliban in Talks

Both India and Russia have a stake in situation in Pakistan, Afghanistan

MOSCOW: Signaling a strong convergence to protect their strategic stakes in Afghanistan, India and Russia are set to emphasize that Pakistan's bid to rehabilitate Taliban is not an acceptable outcome post the US drawdown.

A "fundamental commonality" over combating terrorism is expected to be the focus of the joint statement to be issued on Monday after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's bilateral summit with Russian PresidentVladimir Putin at the Kremlin.

India and Russia will not ink contracts for units 3 and 4 of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant- negotiations are held up in legal nitty-gritty—but will look to make up for the disappointment by leveraging a strategic confluence over the security scenario in Afghanistan.