A firm from the South Asian nation has signed a deal to manufacture medical supplies in Sakhalin Region

An Indian pharmaceutical company is set to launch production in Russia's Far East, the Sakhalin Region government's press service has announced.

PSK Biotech Private Limited has signed an agreement to start manufacturing personal hygiene products, diapers, and medical supplies in the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the statement said on Tuesday. Production is planned to launch in November.

The initiative would also significantly reduce the region's reliance on imported technology and shorten the delivery time to people with disabilities, according to the statement.

PSK Biotech Private Limited wants to establish a long-term presence in the Russian market, the business development director, Prabind Singh, told Russian media. The company also plans to manufacture veterinary products, he added.

Long-time trade and economic partners, India and Russia have worked to expand cooperation over the past two years in a response to Western sanctions on Moscow.

Companies from India are exploring opportunities in the pharmaceutical, diamond, and hydrocarbon sectors in Russia's Far East, Deputy Minister for Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic Anatoly Bobrakov told RT in January on the sidelines of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in Gandhinagar, India. The region's trade with the South Asian nation grew by 40% in 2023, he added.

The Far East - which borders the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, and spans over four time zones - accounts for one-third of Russia's coal reserves, mines over 90% of its diamonds, and 50% of its gold.

Russia has boosted trade and business cooperation with Asia, particularly with India and China, after it was targeted with economic sanctions by the US, EU, and their allies over the Ukraine conflict. The restrictions significantly limited or blocked trade and financial transactions between Russia and the West.

The Russian government plans to develop ports and air transport infrastructure in the Far East. The Sakhalin administration is discussing plans with Moscow to build a 580-kilometer bridge to connect the island with mainland Russia and the Asian continent.

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(RT.com)