Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday visited the Bhabha Atomic Reaseach Centre (BARC), and urged India to participate in the dialogue on signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
''We (Russia) would like you to participate in talks on signing the CTBT'', Mr Putin said addressing top nuclear scientists of the country, after visiting facilities at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), situated at Bombay.
He, however, said, ''We realise that it (signing of CTBT), should be based on strategic vision and interest of local populace.''
Mr Putin, who was accompanied by Russian Minister for Atomic Energy Evegny O Adanov, visited the ''dhruva'' reactor and also took time out to see an exhibition on state-of-the-art technology developed by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
Mr Putin is the first Russian president to visit the BARC.

The Russian president was welcomed by Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) chairman Dr R Chidambaram and BARC Director Dr Anil Kakodkar. Matters related to mutual interest were discussed during the interface with the scientific community.
Dr Chidambaram also presented a memento on behalf of the scientific community and the DAE family. The memento signifies India's achievements in the nuclear arena. Bureau Report