Moscow: Greeting Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on his birthday, Russian President Vladimir Putin has lauded the "trust-based and constructive" partnership with India.

"I highly assess the trust-based and constructive nature of the multi-faceted Russian-Indian partnership," Putin wrote in his message of greetings to Vajpayee who turned 79 on December 25, the Kremlin press service said.

Recalling the "fruitful" talks with the Indian Prime Minister in Delhi earlier this month, Putin described them as "an important stage in deepening" bilateral co- operation between the two countries.

"I am confident that through the agreements reached (in New Delhi), we can impart a fresh impetus to the progressive development of bilateral ties and augment the capital of mutually beneficial co-operation," Putin wrote in his message.

PTI