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India on Thursday underscored the continuity and resilience of its decades-old defence partnership with Russia, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declaring that military cooperation between the two nations remains strong “despite the geopolitical uncertainty.” His remarks came at the 22nd meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military & Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC) in New Delhi, hours before President Vladimir Putin arrived for the 23rd Annual Summit.
Addressing his Russian counterpart Andrei Belousov, Singh described Moscow as a “time-tested, special, privileged, strategic partner,” noting that defence cooperation had expanded steadily since the 2000 India-Russia Strategic Partnership agreement.
“It is good that despite the geopolitical uncertainty, our India–Russia defence cooperation is moving at a healthy pace,” he said, according to ANI. Singh highlighted “outcome-oriented exchanges” between the armed forces and defence experts, while also pointing to growing economic engagement, including last month’s Working Group meeting on trade cooperation and the start of FTA negotiations with the Eurasian Economic Union.
He added that India had been “eagerly awaiting” President Putin’s visit – his first state trip to India in over four years and the first since the Ukraine conflict began.
Russia signals continuity in strategic defence partnership
Co-chairing the commission meeting, Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov echoed Singh’s message, stressing that military engagement remained comprehensive across the services.
“Russia actively cooperates in full scale with India in the formation of the new outlook of the Army, Air Force and Navy,” Belousov said, also extending greetings on the occasion of Indian Navy Day. He noted that the joint commission continued to take “effective and mutually beneficial decisions” in the defence domain.
Earlier in the day, Singh and Belousov paid tribute at the National War Memorial, following which the Russian Minister inspected a Tri-Service Guard of Honour. Belousov was received at Air Force Station Palam by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, in the presence of Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Anil Chauhan.
Putin arrives in Delhi, sets stage for defence-heavy summit
Putin landed in Delhi on Thursday evening and was welcomed at Palam Technical Airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two leaders exchanged a warm handshake and hugged before driving together in the same car to 7, Lok Kalyan Marg for a private dinner – an engagement widely seen as an opportunity to set the tone for Friday’s formal talks.
The visit, Putin’s first to India since 2021, comes at a time of shifting geopolitical alignments and as Washington pressures New Delhi to recalibrate its defence links with Moscow. Singh’s pointed comment about cooperation “despite the geopolitical uncertainty” was read by some diplomatic observers as a subtle message that India’s strategic autonomy remains intact regardless of US political transitions, including the possible return of Donald Trump.
Day 2 agenda: Focus on defence procurement, fighter jets, and Ukraine
On Friday, Putin’s official schedule includes a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan, a wreath-laying at Rajghat, a bilateral summit with Modi at Hyderabad House, joint press statements, interaction with Indian business leaders, and a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu before departing for Moscow. The talks between Modi and Putin are expected to focus on defence cooperation, including long-pending projects under the IRIGC framework, maintenance and modernisation of Russian-origin platforms, co-production opportunities, and potential acquisition pathways.
The Kremlin has hinted that the Su-57, a fifth-generation fighter, could also come up for discussion alongside a range of major systems on the table – the S-400 and S-500 air defence systems, and the Su-30 overhaul. Putin may also brief Modi on the latest diplomatic efforts for a Ukraine ceasefire.
Ravi Shankar
Dr Ravi Shankar has over two decades of experience in communications, print journalism, electronic media, documentary film making and new media.
He makes regular appearances on national television news channels as a commentator and analyst on current and political affairs. Apart from being an acknowledged Journalist, he has been a passionate newsroom manager bringing a wide range of journalistic experience from past associations with India’s leading media conglomerates (Times of India group and India Today group) and had led global news-gathering operations at world’s biggest multimedia news agency- ANI-Reuters. He has covered Parliament extensively over the past several years. Widely traveled, he has covered several summits as part of media delegation accompanying the Indian President, Vice President, Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister and Finance Minister across Asia, Africa and Europe.
