"We consider India one of our main customers in the field of peaceful nuclear energy in the short- and long-term," Ivanov said after the Russian-Indian Forum on Trade and Investments in New Delhi on Monday.

Indian medicines constitute up to 30 percent of Russian pharmaceuticals market, the minister said, adding that he hoped to see more joint ventures in this sector in the future.

The minister also mentioned the multirole transport aircraft (MTA) as an important aspect of bilateral defense trade.

In September, Rosoboronexport, Russia's state-owned arms seller, and state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd signed an agreement to set up a joint venture to produce an MTA.

In its 2010 Yearbook, the Center for Analysis of World Arms Trade (CAWAT) named Russia as the main arms supplier to India in 2002-2009.

The CAWAT said Russia would remain the top arms supplier to India in 2010-2013, with estimated deliveries worth $15.26 bln or 44.7 percent of the Indian arms imports during the same period ($34.1 bln).

India and Russia enjoy close bilateral ties, particularly in the defense, nuclear energy and aerospace sectors.

The existing Russian-Indian military cooperation program through 2010 features up to 200 projects worth about $18 billion.