Moscow, Aug 15 (IANS): Lauding India's "widely-recognised track record of success", Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Moscow attaches great importance to the privileged strategic partnership between the two countries.

In another statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry also hailed the longstanding partnership between the countries, saying that India now enjoys a "well-deserved authority" in the world arena.

"Over the course of 77 years of its development as an independent nation, your country has achieved a widely-recognised track record of success in social, economic, scientific, technical affairs, as well as in many other spheres, and has earned great prestige on the international stage," Putin wrote in his message to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of India's Independence Day.

"We attach great importance to the relations of a privileged strategic partnership with India, and I am certain that our consistent efforts to fulfil the agreements resulting from our recent talks in Moscow will contribute to further expanding the multi-faceted cooperation between Russia and India. There is no doubt that this would serve the interests of our friendly nations, while strengthening international stability and security," he added.

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry also hailed the diplomatic relations between the two countries, saying that the friendly Russian-Indian ties are based on equality, mutual respect and trust.

"India enjoys well-deserved authority in the world arena, playing a major constructive role in international affairs. Today, our relations can be defined as a special and privileged strategic partnership. We maintain an intensive political dialogue, and take efforts to strengthen cooperation within multilateral formats and improve trade, economic, investment, scientific, technical, cultural and humanitarian cooperation," stated the Russian Foreign Ministry in its I-Day greetings to New Delhi.

It also mentioned about the decades of "Indian people's hard struggle against the oppression of the British colonisers" for the right to determine their own destiny.

Over the years of independence, said the Russian Foreign Ministry, India has reached significant success in the economic, scientific, technical and social areas, preserving its strong identity based on the centuries-long history and rich cultural heritage.

Congratulating "Indian friends" on the Independence Day, Moscow highlighted that the USSR had made a "significant contribution" to the industrialisation of India as well as to the development of its economic and scientific potential.

"Today, our relations can be defined as a special and privileged strategic partnership. We maintain an intensive political dialogue, and take efforts to strengthen cooperation within multilateral formats and improve trade, economic, investment, scientific, technical, cultural and humanitarian cooperation," it said.