New Delhi - Cooperation in battling terrorism was expected to figure prominently in the talks between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi Friday.

Medvedev, who is here on a three-day state visit, is the first head of state to visit India after the Mumbai terrorist attacks of December 26-28 which left more than 170 dead, including 28 foreigners.

"We are ready to help our Indian friends in countering terrorism, it is a common threat," Medvedev said in an interview on India's state-run Doordarshan television.

"We stand ready for cooperation in all areas with a view to preventing such acts of terrorism, investigating the recent attack, and establishing a global system of protection against terrorism," he said.

The Russian president was accorded a ceremonial reception on the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan or presidential palace in the Indian capital.

He also laid a wreath at the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, apostle of peace and leader of India's freedom movement.

Medvedev met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee and was scheduled to address a joint press briefing with Singh later Friday after delegation-level talks.

A summit between the Russian president and Indian prime minister is an annual event.

Several agreements, including a civilian nuclear pact, are expected to be signed in the presence of the two leaders.

The nuclear agreement was initialled in January 2007 but has not been signed yet because of the need for a waiver by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and an India-specific safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Both came through earlier this year.

Under the pact, Russia would build four additional nuclear reactors at the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in southern Tamil Nadu state. The agreement also includes collaboration in setting up plants at new sites. (dpa)