On Russia’s meetings with India’s prime minister: ‘Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who presides over an economy expected to contract by over 8.5% in 2009, looked visibly uneasy as his counterpart Manmohan Singh told him how the Indian economy was roaring ahead.‘  The Kremlin has reassured VEB that it will not be among the first wave of state corporations to be part-privatized, although it implied that the bank will eventually be subject to legal restructuring.  The ruble has dropped to below its early October rates thanks to a stronger dollar.  Russia’s agricultural output has seen a boost this year, apparently thanks to a government stimulus program.