File Photo
India and Russia have decided to reorient their long-standing defence partnership, moving away from the traditional buyer-seller model to a framework focused on joint research and development, co-production, and co-development of advanced military systems.
This strategic shift aligns with India’s goal of achieving self-reliance in defence production.
The joint statement issued after the summit emphasised that both nations would encourage joint manufacturing in India of spare parts, components, and other defence equipment for Russian-origin arms.
India and Russia will achieve this under the Make in India initiative by transferring technology, enabling greater domestic production and building expertise in defence systems. They will also establish joint ventures to meet the needs of the Indian armed forces and potentially export defence products to friendly third countries.
Although no fresh defence deals were signed during the summit, discussions continued at the delegation level between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart Andrei Belousov.
India plans to procure another five squadrons of S-400 ‘Triumf’ air defence systems, along with ₹10,000 crore worth of surface-to-air missiles for existing units, which demonstrated exceptional performance during Operation Sindoor.
In the air defence sector, India is also considering acquiring short-range Pantsir and man-portable Verba surface-to-air missile systems.
Further procurement includes R-37 air-to-air missiles with a range exceeding 200 km and the advanced RVV-BD variant, intended for upgraded Sukhoi-30MKI fighters.
The two countries also discussed producing advanced and lightweight BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles jointly, enabling India to deploy them on lighter fighter jets and extend the operational flexibility of its air fleet.
Joint Military Cooperation and Exercises
PM Modi and President Putin expressed satisfaction with the regular military contacts between the two countries, highlighting the success of the ‘Indra’ joint military exercises.
Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to maintain momentum in joint military cooperation, expand military delegation exchanges, and further strengthen operational readiness between the armed forces.
The summit also reaffirmed India and Russia’s strong commitment to preventing and countering terrorism in all its forms, including cross-border terrorist movements, financing networks, and safe havens.
PM Modi stated that terrorism is a direct assault on humanity, citing attacks such as those in Pahalgam and Crocus City Hall.
The joint statement condemned all acts of terrorism, irrespective of religious or ideological motivations, and called for coordinated actions against UN-listed terrorist groups, including al-Qaida, ISIS/Daesh, and their affiliates.
This renewed defence framework signals a new era of Indo-Russia military collaboration, focusing on innovation, self-reliance, and strategic alignment.
The combination of joint R&D, co-production, and continued operational cooperation promises to strengthen both nations’ defence capabilities while addressing global security challenges.
Also Read: PM Modi Presents Culturally Significant Gifts To Russian President Putin
To read more such news, download Bharat Express news apps
