Russia and China on Monday launched a giant gas pipeline linking the countries for the first time, one of three major projects aimed at cementing Moscow's role as the world's top gas exporter. Presiding by video link-up over an elaborate televised ceremony, Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping hailed the "Power of Siberia" pipeline as a symbol of cooperation.

Russia is helping China to build a missile attack warning system, something which only Russia itself and the United States possess at the moment, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday. "This is a serious thing that will drastically increase the defence capabilities of the People's Republic of China," he told an international politics conference in the Russian resort town of Sochi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Russia from September 4 to 5 during which he will hold a bilateral summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and attend the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, the External Affairs Ministry announced on Monday. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, at a media briefing, said the visit will be a short one, lasting about 36 hours.