16th Indo-Russian Inter governmental Commission meeting began in New Delhi on Thursday to prepare for the next months summit level meeting between the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. AIR correspondent reports several new agreements are expected to be finalized in the meeting which are likely to be signed during the Russian President's visit.External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna is leading the Indian side in the talks while the Russian side is headed by Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov. The Commission will focus on expanding economic partnership between the two countries. Briefing reporters in New Delhi, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs Ajay Bisaria said the two sides are expected to reach understandings in some more areas before the summit. AIR correspondent reports that a number of future projects will also be identified in the meeting to widen and diversify the strategic cooperation between the two countries.