Russian President Dmitry Medvedev highlighted Moscow`s determination to step up trade with India during a meeting with visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday.

"We hope we will make a stride forward in all areas of cooperation," Medvedev told Singh.

Medvedev said he expects bilateral trade to rise to $10 billion next year from $5 billion in January-September 2009.

"We look to the future with optimism," Medvedev said. "As early as next year we plan to reach a commodity turnover of $10 billion. But this is not the limit given our economies` potentials and the size of our markets."

Singh is in Moscow for talks that are set to bring multibillion dollar contracts in the defense and energy sphere. India seeks to increase uranium fuel imports from Russia and Russian investment in its nuclear power plants.
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