Russian President Vladimir Putin recently pitched for India to be included in the list of global superpowers and cited his reasons for the same.

Addressing the plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi on Thursday, the Russian president said, “India should undoubtedly added to the list of superpowers, with its billion-and-a-half population, the fastest growth among all economies in the world, ancient culture, and very good prospects for further growth.”

Pointing out that India is leading the world in economic growth, Putin said Russia is developing relations with India in all directions.

Observing that the contacts between India and Russia in the security and defence sphere are growing, he said, “Look at how many types of Russian military equipment are in service with the Indian armed forces. There is a great degree of trust in this relationship.”

Russia does not just sell weapons to India India, but the two countries jointly design them, he said and cited the example of BrahMos cruise missile project.

A supersonic cruise missile capable of being launched from various platforms, including land, sea, and air, the BrahMos cruise missile project is a joint venture between India and Russia. All three services possess the missile system, named after the Brahmaputra River in India and the Moskva River in Russia.

“In fact, we made it (the missile) fit for use in three environments—air, sea, and land. These projects, conducted for the benefit of India’s security, are ongoing,” Putin said, and added that these projects demonstrate a high level of mutual trust and cooperation.