The significant and unprecedented outcomes of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to India on December 4-5 this year have convincingly reaffirmed the truly privileged strategic nature of the bilateral partnership.
Anvar Azimov
Following the summit, a substantive joint statement was adopted, notably a Program for the development of strategic directions of Russian-Indian economic cooperation until 2030. A package of interstate and interdepartmental agreements and documents was also signed, alongside protocols and memoranda between commercial entities covering various aspects of the multifaceted bilateral partnership. The importance of constructive and fruitful cooperation between the two countries on international platforms – including the UN, the G20, the SCO, and BRICS – was also emphasized.
Russia pledged its full support for India’s upcoming BRICS presidency in 2026, within a framework where both countries are successfully cooperating in the interests of the Global South and helping shape a new multipolar world order.
Significance of the two leaders’ meeting
In light of expressed interest in the matter, President Putin provided Indian leaders with a detailed account of contacts with American representatives regarding the settlement of the Ukraine conflict. At the same time, gratitude was expressed to New Delhi for its balanced position on Ukraine.
The meeting between the Russian and Indian leaders holds particular importance against the backdrop of a tense and turbulent international climate surrounding Moscow’s unprecedented military and political confrontation with the Collective West. Seeking to exploit the situation in Ukraine, the Western alliance has intensified efforts to drive wedges into the dynamically developing Russian-Indian relationship – attempting to draw influential India to its side and create difficulties in its growing cooperation with Russia. However, these plans have failed. New Delhi has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening traditionally close, trusting, and mutually beneficial ties with Moscow as a proven and reliable strategic partner. By adopting a balanced position on the Ukraine conflict that is favorable to Russia, the wise Indian leadership has not only maintained but further deepened cooperation across various fields. Bilateral trade turnover has grown almost fivefold over the past four years, from $13 billion to $68 billion. New agreements have been reached in nuclear and missile technologies, and large-scale contracts have been signed in the military-technical sphere.
An important, stabilizing role in international relations
It was against this favorable backdrop that President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to friendly India took place – fully confirming the enduring and indeed specially privileged character of the multifaceted strategic partnership between the two leaders and the friendly peoples who hold mutual sympathy. Moreover, this partnership plays a vital stabilizing role in international relations and is becoming an essential factor in building a more democratic and genuinely equitable multipolar world order. Such trends are evidently unwelcome in the West, which resists and rejects them. Yet despite the futile efforts of the Western bloc, the growing Russian-Indian cooperation is producing increasingly significant results, as the impressive outcomes of the 23rd summit convincingly demonstrate.
“A partnership’s strength lies in shared goals”
During substantive talks between President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and President Droupadi Murmu, the convergence of the parties’ approaches and positions on the most pressing regional and global issues was reaffirmed. Mutual determination was expressed to impart new momentum to the strategic partnership across political, trade, economic, investment, military-technical, scientific, technological, cultural, and humanitarian fields. This spirit was clearly reflected in a major Russian-Indian trade, economic, and banking forum held concurrently with the summit under the slogan, “A partnership’s strength lies in shared goals.” Both Vladimir Putin and Narendra Modi attended, outlining in their speeches new horizons for expansive bilateral cooperation. These matters were discussed in greater detail during a working meeting in New Delhi on the eve of the visit between the Russian co-chair of the bilateral intergovernmental commission on trade, economic, scientific, technical, and cultural cooperation, First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Manturov, and his Indian counterparts.
Forum participants noted the unprecedented growth in mutual trade – driven largely by substantial supplies of discounted Russian oil to India – but Indian business representatives also voiced serious and well-founded concern over the current sharp trade imbalance in Russia’s favor. Russian exports to India stand at approximately $60 billion, while imports from India amount to only about $5 billion. India has persistently called for expanded export opportunities, greater access to the Russian market for machinery and high-tech products, and increased Russian purchases of textiles, food, agricultural goods, and notably pharmaceuticals. Indian business representatives highlighted record tariff and sanctions pressure from the United States, which has openly expressed dissatisfaction with the large volumes of Russian oil supplied to India – now accounting for over 35% of the market. They urged greater trade diversification and enhanced Indian exports to balance trade and solidify India’s position as Russia’s second-largest trading partner after China.
The Russian side expressed full support for the Indian aspirations. Forum participants regarded the goal of increasing bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030 as realistic. Mutual investments have also risen: Indian investment in Russian assets totals approximately $16 billion, while Russian investment in India amounts to about $13 billion, with agreements to increase these flows. Another significant event during the visit was the launch of the RT-India TV channel, which will reach an audience of millions in India.
High-level talks also addressed prospects for long-term nuclear cooperation, particularly the continued construction of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant – the flagship project of bilateral technological and energy cooperation. Discussions focused on completing the third and fourth units and constructing the fifth and sixth units, as well as developing large- and small-capacity nuclear power projects and cooperation on the nuclear fuel cycle. Special attention was paid to potential equipment production localization.
The two leaders highlighted progressive and mutually beneficial military-technical cooperation, with total Russian supplies exceeding $80 billion. They noted intensive work in several new areas, including the supply and localized production of fifth-generation Su-57 fighters, purchases of submarines, warships, and S-400 air defense systems – which proved effective during armed clashes between India and Pakistan in Kashmir in May – as well as future upgraded S-500 systems. These issues were examined in detail during a meeting of the bilateral intergovernmental commission on military-technical cooperation at the level of defense ministers.
Satisfaction was expressed over achievements in joint space exploration, Arctic development, energy security, nuclear energy, and the development of alternative transport corridors – primarily the International North-South Transport Corridor, the Vladivostok-Chennai route, and the Northern Sea Route.
During negotiations, Russia emphasized its readiness to continue supplying oil to India, including for processing at local refineries and re-export to third countries. Concern was noted that U.S. pressure and tariffs on Indian goods have recently caused a slight decline in Russian oil imports, leading some Indian businesses to explore alternative markets. Russia, for its part, openly expressed interest in expanding exports, including oil supplies.
Defense cooperation
Defense has traditionally been another priority in bilateral relations, and in this context, the decline in the share of Russian arms imports to India is a cause for concern. Prior to 2014, Russia accounted for approximately 70% of Indian arms purchases. This figure fell to 55% between 2015-2020 and has dropped further to only 36% in recent years. Russia’s main competitors – France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Israel, and Germany – have advanced their positions. Consequently, restoring Russia’s status as India’s principal arms supplier was a key summit priority. Several agreements on the acquisition and localized production of new types of modern Russian weaponry were signed toward this end.
Thus, despite political, sanctions, and tariff pressure, as well as the noticeable strengthening of India’s ties with the United States and the West overall, another successful Russia–India summit demonstrated that India – as a self-sufficient and independent global power – maintains strategic autonomy and is fully capable of withstanding external challenges and risks. India will not shy away from adhering to an independent course aimed at further deepening ties with Russia across multiple domains. This was convincingly confirmed by the negotiations between the two leading powers’ leaders and the impressive package of bilateral documents signed, elevating our unique strategic partnership to a higher and more trusting level.
In this sense, Vladimir Putin’s trip to India has become a significant milestone in the future-oriented, special, and exemplary relations between two important and close global strategic partners.
Anvar Azimov, diplomat and political scientist, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Senior Research Fellow at Eurasian Studies Institute of MGIMO University of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia
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