New Delhi: A group of young visiting Russian parliamentarians on Wednesday said they wanted bilateral ties with India to bounce back to the same level of warmth and friendship as during the Soviet era.

"We want relations to be back to the level during the Soviet Union. We have to work hard to bring it up to that point," Viktor Nefedov, head of the delegation and a ruling United Russia party MP, told reporters here.

The five Russian members of the Russian state Duma witnessed proceedings in both houses of Parliament, met with Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and held talks with young Indian MPs in the evening.

Nefedov said they plan to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to form a group of young Indian and Russian parliamentarians, who will meet twice a year to exchange views on topics of bilateral and international importance like environment and military ties.

Elena Afanasyeva, of the opposition Liberal-Democratic Party of Russia, said she was intrigued by the question hour system of the Indian Parliament, where ministers had to reply to direct questions made by Parliament.

"Maybe, we can introduce something like this back home," she said.

Source : IANS