``This political document of paramount importance will set new parameters and guide the further development of the close partnership between India and Russia,'' said a joint statement released here at the end of Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov's visit today.

Official sources from the Ministry of External Affairs clarified that the partnership -- which would take up from where the Treaties of Friendship and Cooperation, signed between India and the Soviet Union and India and Russia in 1971 and 1993 respectively, left off -- was not directed against any third state nor sought to create a political alliance.

``It is a reflection of long-term confidence in each other and raises ties to a higher level,'' the sources said. It means, they added, that neither country would join partnerships oralliances directed against each other or which infringed upon their sovereignty.''

Interestingly, a similar document between Russia and China is called the `Partnership for Strategic Interaction in the 21st Century,' while one between Russia and Japan is called `Constructive Partnership.'

The sources also denied that Primakov had sought to hector India on signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). ``Its not a new position with them, even the Soviet Union used to tell India to do so, so it's not as if Primakov was agitated that we must sign,'' the officials said. They implied that since both countries were nuclear weapons powers, it wasn't such a big deal if one told another to sign the NPT. ``There is no give in India's position on the NPT,'' they added.

The sources also said Primakov had asked India about its intention on the CTBT, to which he was told that New Delhi was committed to converting the moratorium on testing into a de jure formalisation.

The officials said Primakov's visit hasshown that there is a ``common commitment to a stable and long-term relationship on all fronts,'' and that this was exemplified on the similarity of views on Iraq and Afghanistan.

``The Sides deplored the recent missile strikes against Iraq. They strongly urged resumption of diplomatic efforts under UN auspices. The Sides noted that these actions had raised serious questions regarding the functioning of the collective and consultative procedures of the UN Security Council,'' said the joint statement.