India, Russia Share Stances On Global Challenges: Premier

His visit is sure to promote bilateral contacts, India's Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said to the Vesti news programme of the Moscow-based RTR television company, national Channel Two, on the eve of his visit to Russia. President Vladimir Putin's latest visit to India upgraded bilateral contacts to the strategic partnership level, added the interviewee. He highlighted stances shared by India and Russia on global problems - in particular, terrorism, which Mr. Vajpayee called to eradicate. He is enthusiastic about a budding global anti-terror coalition. India and Russia are leading a long-established anti-terror combat, and are glad to see that other countries have also grown to realise that it takes concerted efforts to put an end to terrorism, added the Prime Minister. Atal Bihari Vajpayee is arriving in Russia on a state visit today to start his itinerary in St. Petersburg. The visit is envisaged by an understanding for an annual bilateral summit exchange, which was made as President Putin was visiting India last year.