India Russia Relations

[NSG_Blackcats]

From Russia with love

 

[RPK]

Medvedev lauds strategic partnership with India

fullstory

Moscow, Sep 3 (PTI) Russian President Dmitry Medvedev today lauded the all-weather strategic partnership with India and said the bilateral ties are not affected by the change in political seasons as he hosted his counterpart Pratibha Patil at the Kremlin here.

"Your visit demonstrates special strategic relations of partnership between Russia and India, which are not prone to conjuncture and change of political seasons," Medvedev said at the start of the delegation-level talks with Patil, who is here on a four-day state visit.

Medvedev also noted the importance of the Indo-Russian dialogue within the BRIC and other international formats.

He expressed satisfaction at the pace the bilateral trade and economic cooperation have started to develop in recent years

 

[ppgj]

The AWACS do not carry jammers.

p2p,how come awacs do not carry jammers particularly when the enemy will target it considering the job they do?any particular reason?

 

[Vladimir79]

how come awacs do not carry jammers particularly when the enemy will target it considering the job they do?any particular reason?

There are a number of reasons. One is power generation, it takes alot of power to utilise large high-powered radars. If you are going to run jamming pods you are going to divert needed energy. Second is range, it takes far more power to jam a radar than it does to operate making a feasable standoff jammer incompatible with dual operation. Lastly, jamming can interfere with your own signal so it rather becomes self defeating.

 

[ppgj]

There are a number of reasons. One is power generation, it takes alot of power to utilise large high-powered radars. If you are going to run jamming pods you are going to divert needed energy. Second is range, it takes far more power to jam a radar than it does to operate making a feasable standoff jammer incompatible with dual operation. Lastly, jamming can interfere with your own signal so it rather becomes self defeating.

thanks vladimir.don't they have counter measures atleast for missile attacks?do you mean awacs which are specialist machines can't generate enough power?combat aircraft can be understood but why awacs?

 

[F-14]

Medvedev lauds strategic partnership with India

fullstory

Moscow, Sep 3 (PTI) Russian President Dmitry Medvedev today lauded the all-weather strategic partnership with India and said the bilateral ties are not affected by the change in political seasons as he hosted his counterpart Pratibha Patil at the Kremlin here.

"Your visit demonstrates special strategic relations of partnership between Russia and India, which are not prone to conjuncture and change of political seasons," Medvedev said at the start of the delegation-level talks with Patil, who is here on a four-day state visit.

Medvedev also noted the importance of the Indo-Russian dialogue within the BRIC and other international formats.

He expressed satisfaction at the pace the bilateral trade and economic cooperation have started to develop in recent years

yes mr president you are right even our love for russian girls stand the test of time

 

[Vladimir79]

thanks vladimir.don't they have counter measures atleast for missile attacks?do you mean awacs which are specialist machines can't generate enough power?combat aircraft can be understood but why awacs?

They do have decoy launchers.

They cannot generate enough power to operate radar and jammers unless it is a big bird with powerful engines and generators. AWACs frames do not fall in this class.

 

[ppgj]

They do have decoy launchers.

They cannot generate enough power to operate radar and jammers unless it is a big bird with powerful engines and generators. AWACs frames do not fall in this class.

thanks mate.appreciate that.

 

[NSG_Blackcats]

Russia won’t agree to curbs on technology transfer to India​

The two countries should look at ways to augment and expand their cooperation in the sphere of nuclear energy: Putin

Russia committed to enhancing nuclear cooperation with India.Assistance to India in building its nuclear submarine is proof

MOSCOW: Russia will not agree to any curbs on the transfer of sensitive technologies to India, a senior Russian official said as President Pratibha Patil held talks with the Russian leaders. “Russia is guided by the nuclear cooperation pact it signed with India last year, which does not contain any restrictions on the transfer of technology or reprocessing of spent fuel,” the official said commenting on the U.S. efforts to ban the sale of enrichment and reprocessing equipment (ENR) to India.

Pact on reactors

Under an inter-government agreement signed in December Russia is to supply to India four third generation VVER-1200 reactors of 1170 MW. The reactors will be set up at Koodankulam in Tamil Nadu, where two VVER-1000 reactors have already been installed. A commercial contract for the construction of four additional reactors at is expected to be signed later this year. Russian leaders have assured Ms. Patil that they were committed to enhancing and deepening nuclear cooperation with India. Russia was all set to move forward and implement the agreement to build more nuclear reactors in India, President Dmitry Medvedev told Ms. Patil during their talks in Thursday, informed sources said.

Cooperation in nuclear energy also came up during Ms. Patil’s meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Friday, with the Russia premier saying that the two countries should look at ways to augment and expand their cooperation in the sphere of nuclear energy. The U.S. tried but failed to exempt the ENR transfers from the nuclear export waiver that international nuclear watchdogs granted India last year. However, at the G8 summit at L’Aquila in Italy in July Americans persuaded its partners to refrain from supplying ENR technologies to countries that have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The Russian official, who asked not to give his name, told The Hindu that Moscow would not abide by the G8 ban on ENR transfers in relation to India.

“Our inter-governmental accord with India providing for full nuclear cooperation was signed in line with last year’s decisions by the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the International Atomic Energy Commission to lift all restrictions on nuclear trade with India. There is no way this accord can be reversed.” The official said Russia’s massive assistance to India in building its first nuclear submarine was proof of his country’s commitment to full-fledged cooperation in nuclear technologies. The accord gives India freedom to proceed with the closed fuel cycle, which includes mining, preparation of the fuel for use in reactors and reprocessing of spent fuel.

Link

 

[LETHALFORCE]

domain-b.com : Russia not to back US curbs on N-tech transfers to India


Russia not to back US curbs on N-tech transfers to India news

05 September 2009


Russia not to back US curbs on N-tech transfers to India news
Moscow: Unnamed Russian sources have been quoted as saying that Russia would not back recent US attempts to place curbs on the transfer of sensitive nuclear technologies to India. The comments have been made even as Indian president Pratibha Patil concludes what may be construed as a very successful visit to strategically important Russia.

''Russia is guided by the nuclear cooperation pact it signed with India last year, which does not contain any restrictions on the transfer of technology or reprocessing of spent fuel,'' the unnamed official has been quoted as saying in response to a query of Russia would support US efforts to ban the sale of enrichment and reprocessing equipment (ENR) to India.

It may be recalled that the US tried, but failed, to get ENR transfers exempted from the nuclear export waiver that international nuclear watchdogs, the NSG and the IAEA, granted India last year. However, at the G8 summit at L'Aquila in Italy in July this year, Americans persuaded their partner nations to refrain from supplying ENR technologies to countries that had not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Russian officials have now stressed that Moscow would not be tied down by the G8 ban on ENR transfers in relation to India.


''Our inter-governmental accord with India providing for full nuclear cooperation was signed in line with last year's decisions by the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the International Atomic Energy Commission to lift all restrictions on nuclear trade with India. There is no way this accord can be reversed.''

Officials have also pointed out massive Russian assistance to India in building its first nuclear submarine as proof of their country's commitment to full-fledged cooperation in nuclear technologies.

 

[RPK]

India's ties with other nations not at Russia's cost: President- Hindustan Times

Brushing aside reports that India is moving away from Russia, President Pratibha Patil has said New Delhi's ties with other countries would not be at the cost of Moscow.

New Delhi's ties with Moscow are on strong foundations and "would not be affected by our relationship with other countries," Patil, who returned Tuesday night after a seven-day visit to Russia and Tajikistan, told reporters.

"India really appreciated Russia's support in the economic, energy, defence and nuclear fields and that our relationship stood on its own," Patil said adding she conveyed this to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, with whom she had wide ranging discussions on further diversifying and strengthening the engagement by the two countries.

Patil, who also had a detailed discussion with her Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, spoke in detail about the potential of cooperation, especially in energy sector.

"The two countries are in agreement that there is ample potential for expansion of cooperation in the fields of energy including hydrocarbons and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, military technical cooperation, space and information technology", she said.

Observing that the issue of bilateral trade came up for discussion on several occasions, Patil said both countries felt that the trade target of ten billion USD by 2010 appeared achievable despite the ongoing global financial crisis.

 

[roma]

referring to rpraveen's post above , it is good that the relationship is being kept in good close order . Freiendship with the USA has always been fragile and oscillatory , basically they care only for themselves and have an extremely short-term view . Longer term russians more stable . Sure they have theoir self-interests but that's fine as it doesnt interfere with indias self-interest either.

 

[Tamil]

referring to rpraveen's post above , it is good that the relationship is being kept in good close order . Freiendship with the USA has always been fragile and oscillatory , basically they care only for themselves and have an extremely short-term view . Longer term russians more stable . Sure they have theoir self-interests but that's fine as it doesnt interfere with indias self-interest either.

its true v never belive the americans. but russians are ever tested brothers. so dont go in any fav of americans.

"Friend in need is Friend Indeed"

 

[A.V.]

RIA NOVOSTI NEWS SOURCE

Russia to equip four Indian subs with new cruise missiles


MOSCOW, September 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Zvezdochka shipyard said on Wednesday it will install Club-S cruise missile systems on four Kilo class diesel submarines in service with the Indian navy in the next five years.
Russia has built ten Kilo class submarines for India. Only two of them — the INS Sindhugosh and INS Sindhuvijay — have reportedly been equipped with the Club-S (SS-N-27) cruise missiles to date.
"The new missile system will be installed on the INS Sindhuratna, INS Sindhuraj, INS Sindhushastra, and INS Sindhuvir. The retrofit will be carried out at Indian shipyards," the shipyard in northern Russia said in a statement.
"Zvezdochka will finish this work in the next five years," the statement said.
The Club-S subsonic cruise missile is designed for launch from a 533 mm torpedo tube, or a vertical launch tube. It has a range of 160 nautical miles (about 300 km). It uses an ARGS-54 active radar seeker and Glonass satellite and inertial guidance.
In addition, Zvezdochka is getting ready to overhaul another Indian Kilo class submarine — the INS Sindhurakshak under a deal which is expected to be signed in spring 2010.
"The submarine will be delivered to Severodvinsk in June 2010," the shipyard said.
Russia agreed in 2001 to upgrade all 10 Indian Kilo class submarines and has previously overhauled four subs at the Zvezdochka shipyard.
The upgrade program involves a complete overhaul of the submarines, including their hull structures, as well as improved control systems, sonar, electronic warfare systems, and an integrated weapon control system. The upgrades are reported to be costing about $80 million.
Russia's Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines have gained a reputation as extremely quiet boats, and have been purchased by China, India, Iran, Poland, Romania and Algeria.

 

[NSG_Blackcats]

Russia ready to help India build its own advanced radar​

MOSCOW: As the race to secure the Indian Air Force’s $10-billion tender for 126 combat jets reached the crucial stage of flight trials, Russia, on top of a full technology transfer, is offering India help in building its own advanced radar. This would put India in the elite league of manufacturers of some of the most sophisticated defense equipment. “We are ready to develop a new advanced radar jointly with India,” said Vyacheslav Tishchenko, head of the Phazotron-NIIR Corporation. The company has built Russia’s first Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, Zhuk-ME, for the MiG-35 fighter, the Russian contender in the IAF tender for the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA). Two planes will go to India next month for flight evaluation trials.

Also in the fray are the U.S. F-16 and F-18, the French Dassault’s Rafale, the Swedish Saab Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon. Transfer of technology is a prime requirement in the MMRCA tender, but as far as the radar is concerned, Russia alone seems prepared to meet the demand in full. “Out of six-seven countries in the world that have the know-how to build radars for combat jets, only two — Russia and the U.S. — domestically produce the full range of radar components,” Phazotron’s chief designer Yuri Guskov said. Raytheon, the U.S. company that manufactures radars for the F-18 fighter, has already said it would only transfer “limited” technology “up to the level the U.S. government allows us.”

This means America’s European competitors in the MMRCA tender will also face restrictions on the transfer of technologies sourced from the U.S. companies. Russia is the only bidder which does not depend on the U.S. for any aircraft technologies, including the radar.

Link

 

[Singh]

Investing in India-Russia relationship

If Germany and Turkey can reach out to Russia despite a history of conflict with it, there is no reason why India, which has never had a conflict of interest with its once best friend, cannot.

With India’s relationship with the United States and China under relentless focus, it is not surprising that the Indian President’s recent visit to the Russian Federation went almost unnoticed. Yet the trip served to remind both sides of a friendship that they once swore by and whose potential remains high despite years of mutual neglect, changed global circumstances and diversification of interests.

At one level, Pratibha Patil’s trip, like any presidential outing, was all ceremony and nostalgia. Dulcet tunes from the Raj Kapoor-directed Shri 420 filled the Grand Kremlin Palace’s incredibly beautiful gold and red Alexander Hall when President Dmitry Medvedev raised a toast to his Indian guest. If the blast from the past was ever so sweet, so was the ritual recalling of the golden years of “ Hindi-Rusi bhai-bhai” and the references to India and Russia’s shared civilisational roots.

Yet as the tour progressed, and the Indian presidential delegation was swept up in a whirlwind of high-level meetings and state events, it became clear that the visit was more than a goodwill exercise, that the rhetorical flourishes in the individual and joint statements were not as ornamental as they seemed; indeed, that there were strains in the once rock-solid bilateral relationship that the trip would strive to address — not through dramatic gestures and agreements as might be expected from a Prime Minister-level summit, but via signals and words conveyed by Ms Patil that Moscow would weigh, interpret and absorb.

On the flight into Moscow, Indian officials had admitted to a “sense of drifting away on both sides.” It was only a perception, they hastened to add, yet they had no answers to why such a perception must undermine a relationship they said was strong and based on high levels of trust. The unease was evident in Moscow too, with the intelligentsia — the media, security analysts, policy wonks, etc., — nearly unanimous that India-Russia relations, never the same after the break up of the Soviet Union, had suffered more recently from India’s “obsessive” engagement of the United States, and Russia, in turn looking elsewhere to consolidate its business and strategic interests.

At the people-to-people level, there was goodwill, yes. Older generation Russians spoke with genuine affection about India; after all, the international friendship had dominated their growing up years. As Russian analysts invariably pointed out, “there is nothing but good feeling for India.” But for the younger lot, exposed much more to the West than their parents, India was a fading, distant memory. Awara and the Kapoors had no name recall among them, and for those of us on the Indian side raised on weekly doses of Soviet Land and stories of India-Soviet bonding, the Russia we were visiting turned out to be not the country of our imagination.

Most Russians had not heard of the ongoing “Year of India in Russia” celebrations just as not many in India knew that 2008 was celebrated in India as the “Year of Russia in India.” The “gala concert” that the Indian side had billed as the high point of Ms Patil’s visit turned out to be an indifferent affair with the organisers struggling to find audiences for the below-par performance put up by Indian artistes at the world famous Bolshoi theatre.

That the Indian side was only too conscious of the tensions was apparent from Ms Patil twice choosing to place the relationship in its own context. At Mr. Medvedev’s banquet, she had spoken of countries, including Russia and India, pursuing “multi-vector” foreign policies. “However,” she added, “I can assure our Russian partners that even as we improve our relations with other countries, it will not be to the detriment of our tried and tested friendship.” The Indian President reiterated the point at her meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. India’s relationship with Russia, she said, will not be “at the expense of its relationship with other countries.”

To observers in Moscow, it was plain that by “other countries” Ms Patil had meant the U.S. India would have no reason to “assure” Russia about any other relationship, nor would a visiting Indian President stress a point like this unless there was a felt need to do so. At an informal briefing by Indian officials, a Moscow-based journalist came quickly to the heart of the matter, asking, “Is it not a fact that India is sitting in the lap of the United States?” Clearly upset at the accusation, the Indian side once again emphasised the “unique” nature of the bilateral relationship which ought not to be “viewed from the prism of any other relationship.” Keeping this relationship on track was not only “one of our top foreign policy priorities but is the cornerstone of our foreign policy.” The visitors also drew the reporter’s attention to Mr. Putin’s own reminder that the relationship was truly and really one of a kind: “Russia’s support for India at the Nuclear Suppliers Group in defence and nuclear cooperation showed the truly strategic nature of our partnership. Russia does not have this kind of a relationship with any other country.”

Back in India, reaction to the outcome of the visit has varied from “usual diplomatic hyperbole” to “there is indeed some recognition that this relationship is strategically important and must come to the front burner.” There is unanimity of opinion that the Soviet Union’s “immeasurable” assistance in defence and heavy industry contributed to making India what it is today. Russia has continued this support and, despite some problem areas, remains India’s most important military supplier even today — at a time when India has started to diversify its purchases. A case in point is the nuclear submarine built with 60 per cent Russian assistance.

Not just this. If the Soviet Union unfailingly backed India on Kashmir, Russia has done its bit for advancing India’s nuclear ambitions and in the face of perceived American attempt to roll back the clean exemption given last year by the NSG. Ms Patil was still on Russian soil when Moscow sent word that Russia would not agree to the Washington-authored G-8 curbs on the sale of Enrichment and Reprocessing items and technology.

Nobody, not even the most enthusiastic backer of closer Indo-U.S. ties, refutes Russia’s crucial place in India’s foreign policy scheme more so given the problematic future shape of the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. The U.S. tilt towards India is no longer as visible as it was in the George Bush days, which means that India would need all the help it can muster in the event of the region exploding into a crisis.

The emerging view in India is that India-Russia relations can never reach the heights scaled by India and the Soviet Union simply because there are 15 countries today where there was just one country earlier. India has necessarily to engage the U.S., and it cannot be faulted either for seeking to diversify its military purchases. But equally, there is a need to be transparent with Russia and invest sincerely and visibly in the relationship. There is a solid reason for doing so. The foreign policy interests of India and Russia almost converge, and the two countries uniquely have no conflict of interest.

Yet all this might come to nothing if India and Russia do not improve the currently abysmal levels of bilateral trade. The two countries are hoping eventually to raise trade volumes from the existing $2.5 billion to $10 billion. To place this in proper perspective, one has only to consider trade volumes between Russia and the European Union, which tripled between 2000 and 2007 to $63 billion and even between Russia and Turkey, which rose from $11 billion in 2004 to $38 billion in 2009.

New Delhi has made much of the annual reciprocal visits to India and Russia by the two Prime Ministers. But there has been far more to-ing and fro-ing between Russia and Germany which recognises the strategic importance of gas-rich Russia and wants it integrated into the European economy. If Germany and Turkey could reach out to Russia despite a history of conflict with it, why cannot India which admittedly has never had a conflict of interest with Russia?

As the world’s largest exporter of natural gas, and second largest of oil, Russia has enough and more to satiate India’s energy security needs. India has spent valuable time revisiting done deals with the U.S. (not signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, civil nuclear deal, etc.). It can surely spare some time to rebuild relations with an old friend.

The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : Investing in India-Russia relationship

 

[thakur_ritesh]

the world around has moved very fast in this information age but the way russia gets promoted in india remains embedded in the cold war era where they get covered gets done only through the state media and there is hardly any audience of the state media in the middle class urban india where the advent of cable television has clearly changed the tastes of the viewer.

two events happened simultaneously which hit the nails in the once very strongly bonded relationship of our two countries. first one was of course the collapse of soviet union and disappearance of a super power and a helping hand for india from the world stage and second the collapse of indian economy where we were headed to near bankruptcy and these episodes changed the discourse that our two countries followed forever.

for the first time india was left at the mercy of the west and quite helpless and hapless at that and here india realised the importance of the west especially the us, the lone surviving super power. they say the only permanent feature in the foreign affairs of a country are its interests and india since changed its course from its past to just pursue those very important interests and increasingly started engaging the west and the us and through this relationship india has benefited immensely all through these years since early 90s.

another two significant things happened during this time period, in years to come and till date. first india was heavily dependent on ussr's military equipment and now russia with the economic mess it found itself in, could not provide india with enough spare parts to keep its military hardware in workable condition, delayed military projects became a rule along with price escalation and all this led to accusations and counter accusations, which has sadly continued till date. secondly during this era with the opening up of india's economy, india for the first time pressed the accelerators of growth rate figures and for the first time had the taste of consumerism, and this led india to very fondly follow the west unlike in the past where socialism was the name of the game.

the prc's model of economic prosperity was very inspiring for most indians and was very keenly studied by our eminent economists and it was realised how even being a communist state they had no qualms in inviting the west over, make investments, which helped improve their economy and also helped them attain a important position at a regional level thanks to the west and especially thanks to the us and india taking a leaf from there started doing the same and in all this russia and the fondness for russia evaporated, and the vacuum created got filled up by the west.

with all this india had shed its image and apprehensions of the past and now the new mantra was indeed consumerism, being capitalist and working closely with the west.

if the relationship between india and russia has to be revived there are some serious measures that need to be taken.

to begin with russia has to realise the importance of media in this information age and how it helps in forming perceptions and opinions in important circles of a country and at mass level. russia has to clearly move to the private media houses to promote itself, where at least today it finds no real mention. a certain prc gets more air time coverage and the average indian is better informed about the prc than about russia all thanks to the media. today india is one the very few countries where the us gets very highly appreciated amongst the mass, and it has all to do with the way they get projected on the television screens. there remains some kind of an aura about that country which catches the imaginations of the average indian unlike any other, and without a doubt the americans have put to use the media in a very smart way to project themselves.

trade plays a very important part and especially in india where the driving force of our economic growth has been the private sector, which also helps in bringing about people to people contact and trade between our companies and countries has been insignificant other than in the field of defence equipment and people involved in what ever trade that happens is minuscule. concerted effort has to go in to increase trade which brings about people to people contact than a government to government contact that has happened till date.

in today's india the business leaders help in framing our opinions though numerous debates they appear in and government looks at them to frame its economic policies which also have a bearing on the foreign policy and relations of the country and this think tank of the country needs to be cultivated by the russians. the importance of these people can be seen in how successfully these people have changed the way india and indians look at and perceive about africa off late.

last but not the least fdi has to be brought in from each others countries and such companies investing need to create job opportunities for each others people.

till the date this does not happen the relationship will remain lackluster, and the top guys of our two countries have to realise that just military to military and government to government contact would do no real good for the relations and opinions to improve.

i end this piece on a low note and that is i have serious doubts that two countries would share the same relations as were in the cold war era, probably it will just remain in the books to read for our generations to come.

 

[Martian]

Times change. The Soviet Union is gone. The good ol' "friendship prices" for military equipment is history too.

The boom in outsourcing has created a strong economic bond between India and the US. Different relationships for different times.

 

[1.44]

India, Russia to sign new military pact​

MOSCOW, October 10 (RIA Novosti) — India and Russia will extend their strategic and military partnership when they sign a new military cooperation agreement in December, an Indian daily said on Saturday.
According to The Times of India, a 10-year deal will be signed in the course of a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow.
It said the groundwork for the agreement will be laid when Defense Minister A.K. Antony visits Moscow next week for talks with his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov.
The current cooperation program comprises about 200 joint projects, including the modernization of the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier (formerly the Admiral Gorshkov) for the Indian navy, the transfer of technology for the licensed assembly of T-90 tanks in India, the production of BrahMos missiles and the purchase of Smerch MLRS by India.

India, Russia to sign new military pact | Top Russian news and analysis online | 'RIA Novosti' newswire

 

[RPK]

Indo-Russia to extend military cooperation till 2020

fullstory

Moscow, Oct 14 (PTI) India and Russia will sign a pact tomorrow to extend their military cooperation programme till 2020 as Defence Minister A K Antony and his counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov discussed a wide range of issues, including the upgradation of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov.

Inaugurating the 9th session of the Intergovernmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation co-chaired by Antony, Serdyukov declared that closest defence cooperation with India would remain the "key pillar" of bilateral strategic partnership.

Antony, who arrived here yesterday on a three-day visit, had over one hour long t?te-?-t?te with Serdyukov, instead of the initial 30 minute one-to-one session.

Gorshkov upgradation, modernisation of the older fleet of Sukhoi Su-30 warplanes, serial production of T-90S main battle tanks in India and under the transfer of technology were among some of the issues reviewed by Antony and Serdyukov, Defence Ministry spokesperson Irina Kovalchuk said.