📍New Delhi | 11 Dec, 2025, 3:38 PM
India Russia Defence Cooperation: The defence relations between India and Russia are decades old, but this time when President Vladimir Putin came to visit India, the defence agreement did not take place in accordance with the expectation, such as earlier viewing. While Russia offered Su-57 Fitth-Generation Stealth Fighter, Long-Range Drone and New Submarine to India, the response on behalf of India remained extremely limited.
This relationship of strategic relations between India and Russia began from the Soviet period. The 1971 India-Soviet Friendship Treaty entered a new round of security, technology and military cooperation to both countries. The Soviet leader Leonid Bryzenev in 1973 came to India, where the defence partnership was given a long-term look. Later when the Soviet Union broke up and Russia emerged as a new country in 1991, then India and Russia renewed their relationships.
Russia’s first President Boris Yeltsin came to India in 1993. Their aim was to re-activated the military programs that are moving in the Soviet round. Meanwhile India restored military-tech cooperation with Russia, agreed to the supply of Mig aircraft and spare parts and developed understanding on issues such as security and terrorism.
While President Vladimir Putin is considered to be the most important for India-Russia defence partnership. Putin came to India for the first time in 2000, where both countries announced the formal declaration of strategic partnership. After this visit, the combined production of Su-30 fighter aircraft began in India. Putin returned in 2004 and cooperation began on the Russian navigation system like Glonness, as well as the Brahmaos Joint Missile Program was further extended. In the 2010 visit, both countries gave the status of "special and privileged strategic partnership" to the relationship, which is also applicable today. During this, India-Russia helicopter construction, nuclear cooperation and defence research was created.
While Putin once again came to India in 2014, Su-30MKI remains agreed to expand the fleet. Also new frigate construction and joint military exercise for the Navy were further strengthened to Indira. The deal of S-400 air defense system was formalized in their highly important journey of 2021. This is the system that has become a big part of India’s air defense capacity. The journey also started 2+2 Dialogue, a joint framework of defence and foreign policy.
The President Dmitry Medvedev visited India in 2008 and furthered Mig-29’s aircraft and nuclear cooperation for the Navy. The time was to further broaden the military partnership of both the countries, especially in the Naval and Aviation sector.
While Vladimir Putin once again came to India in December 2025. Although Russia had proposed to raise cooperation on Su-57 Fifth-Generation Jets, S-500 Air Defense Systems, Geraan Series’s Long-Range Drones and New Submarines before this visit, India did not see any special interest in these proposals. While the journey of Putin took place in 19 business agreements, there was no major defence agreement.
According to government sources, Russia had proposed India with its flagship weapons platform like Geraan Series Kamikaj Drone, Su-57 aircraft and Submarine in several round talks before the visit of Putin. While India’s proposals have not shown much interest, India is currently focusing on the development of the "Indigins Products" i.e. the Indigenous Defense System and is not in the event of an immediate decision on a large foreign platform. The sources pointed out that India gave a clear indication that it is now paying more attention to strengthening its indigenous defence construction.
In the recent Leh event, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reported that India’s defence production was Rs 46,000 crore in 2014, which has now increased to Rs 1.51 lakh crore. While defence exports have also reached around Rs 24,000 crore over the last ten years. This shift is being considered a paradim shift for India.
Garan drones proposed from Russia are the engineized version of Iran’s Shahid-136. Russian army in Ukraine war used them extensively. But Indian forces were not interested in buying them. Indian experts believe that India is developing rapidly with its drone capacity indigenous industries and does not want to increase any foreign dependence.
Earlier on October 29, the working group meeting of India-Russia Inter-Governanceal Commission in Moscow was taken. The meeting discussed the cooperation of the three forces and the Defence Research and Development and a protocol was also signed. But there is no consensus on a large defense deal.
During the visit of Putin, 19 agreements between India and Russia were decided, but all of them were mainly associated with trade and economic cooperation. No joint declaration on high end weapons such as Su-57 or S-500 air defense system. It shows clean that India is currently prioritizing its domestic potential rather than the large arms platform in Russia.
