Cold War to Early 2000s

• USSR supported India during the 1971 Bangladesh War, including three UNSC vetoes.
• India’s armed forces expanded with Soviet-origin aircraft, tanks and submarines.

Post-2000 Developments

• 2000: Strategic Partnership → annual summits institutionalised.
• 2010: Relationship elevated to Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership.
• 2019 onwards: India’s Act Far East Policy deepened economic engagement with Russia’s Far East.
• Post-2022: Russia became India’s largest crude oil supplier, driven by discounted oil purchases amid sanctions.

Defence & Military Cooperation

Defence remains the most entrenched pillar of the partnership.

Key Platforms

• S-400 Triumf air defence systems (5 regiments) – deliveries underway.
• Sukhoi and MiG fleets – core of India’s fighter capability.
• T-72 and T-90 tanks – essential to India’s armoured forces.

Joint Development

• BrahMos supersonic cruise missile – flagship India–Russia project.
• Ongoing exploratory discussions on Su-57, air defence upgrades, and advanced systems.

Localization Push

• Russia offering deeper MRO, spare-parts manufacturing, and engine upgrades inside India.
• Aim: reduce delays and operational vulnerabilities, especially since 60–70% of India’s military inventory is Russian-origin.

Energy & Nuclear Cooperation

Oil & Gas

• Russia continues as India’s top crude supplier.
• Steady supply at discounted prices has reshaped India’s energy security after 2022.
• Talks on long-term supply contracts to stabilise price volatility.

Civil Nuclear Cooperation

• Collaboration centred around the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (Units 1–6).
• In 2025, Russia delivered the reactor pressure vessel for Unit 6.
• Exploratory discussions on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).

Trade Snapshot (FY 2024–25)

• Total trade: ~$68.7 billion
• India’s exports: ~$4.9 billion
• India’s imports: ~$63.8 billion (mainly crude oil)

Challenges in the Relationship

• Trade imbalance persists, limiting the sustainability of economic engagement.
• Sanctions and financial restrictions complicate payment settlements and supply chains, especially in defence and energy sectors.
• India’s significant dependence on Russian-origin defence equipment exposes vulnerabilities, particularly in the context of evolving global conflicts.
• Russia’s increasing closeness with China, especially in the military domain, generates strategic concerns for India in light of ongoing India–China tensions.
• Diverging geopolitical trajectories—India’s Indo-Pacific vision and Russia’s Eurasian focus—create areas of misalignment.

Way Forward

• Restore strategic confidence through consistent diplomatic engagement and transparency on sensitive defence issues, including Russia’s ties with China.
• Diversify economic cooperation by strengthening sectors such as pharmaceuticals, IT services, agriculture, and logistics to reduce reliance on defence and oil trade.
• Deepen long-term energy collaboration, including multi-year oil and LNG contracts, nuclear fuel supply, and partnerships in critical minerals.
• Improve connectivity by accelerating projects like INSTC and negotiating greater market access through mechanisms such as a potential FTA with the Eurasian Economic Union.
• Enhance people-centric linkages through better support for Indian students, tourism partnerships, cultural exchanges, and academic collaborations to create a more durable foundation for the partnership.