MOSCOW, December 9. /TASS/. Russia can build up to 25 nuclear units in India, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with India’s PTI news agency ahead of his visit to New Delhi due on Thursday.

“Apart from building new energy units of the NPP "Kudankulam", we await the decision of the Indian government to allot a site for construction of a new Russian-designed nuclear power plant,” the Russian leader said. “Our resources enable us to build up to 25 energy units in India.”

“However, even these units may not meet the needs of dynamically developing economy of India,” Putin said citing to expert estimates. “This is why we intend to discuss the prospects for further development of our cooperation in the domain of nuclear energy during the upcoming meeting with Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi.”

Apart from that, he said, a policy document - Strategic Vision of the Strengthening Russian-Indian Cooperation in the Field of Peaceful Uses of the Atomic Energy - was being prepared for signing. “Alongside with new energy units' construction, it provides for the exchange of the results of activities in the field of science, technology and innovation,” Putin noted.

The Russian president underscored that nuclear cooperation was a pillar of Russia-India strategic partnership. “We concluded two inter-governmental agreements in this field in 2008 and in 2010. The Road Map for the Serial Construction of the Russian designed Nuclear Power Plants in the Republic of India, which was signed in 2010, is currently being implemented,” Putin said.

Russian specialists have been building the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu since 1998, when the sides signed a general agreement on construction. The project provides for the construction of four energy units with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts each. In 2010, the sides signed a roadmap for the serial construction of up to 14-16 Russian-designed nuclear units in India. In the spring of 2014, Russia and India inked a deal for the construction of Kudankulam’s second stage.

By 2017, India plans to build 19 nuclear units with an overall capacity of 17,400 megawatt. Eight of these 19 will be built in partnership with other countries.