General Studies Paper -2
Context: Prime Minister Modi paid an official visit to Russia for the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit.
Key Highlights
- PM Modi was conferred Russia’s highest national award “The Order of St. Andrew the Apostle” for his contribution to fostering India-Russia ties.
- The award was announced in 2019.
- India will set up two new consulates in the Russian cities of Kazan and Yekaterinburg.
- Russia agreed to India’s demand to ensure early release and return to home of the Indian nationals working in the Russian military as support staff.
- India and Russia are working on the Eastern Maritime Corridor and the two countries were discovering each other through the Ganga-Volga dialogue.
- The Eastern Maritime Corridor is a proposed sea route between Chennai, India, and Vladivostok, Russia, passing through the Sea of Japan, the South China Sea, and the Malacca Strait.
- Both the Leaders agreed to set the bilateral trade target of USD 100 billion by 2030.
India- Russia Relations
- Political Relations: A watershed moment in relations between India and the Soviet Union was the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1971.
- After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, India and Russia entered into a new Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in 1993.
- In 2000, during the visit of President Putin to India, the partnership acquired a new qualitative character, that of a Strategic Partnership.
- In 2010 the relationship was elevated to the status of a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.
- Defense and Security Cooperation: BrahMos Missile System as well as the licensed production in India of SU-30 aircraft and T-90 tanks are examples of such flagship cooperation.
- Both sides concluded agreements on the supply of S-400 air defense systems, construction of frigates under Project 1135.6 and shareholders agreement on the formation of a joint venture to manufacture Ka-226T helicopters in India.
- The two countries also hold exchanges and training exercises between their armed forces annually termed INDRA.
- Trade and Economic Relations: Both sides revised targets of increasing bilateral investment to US $50 billion and bilateral trade to US $30 billion by 2025. However, bilateral trade reached an all-time high of $65.70 billion in FY 2023-24.
- Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, India has been buying large amounts of Russian oil at a discount to cushion the inflationary impact of rising crude prices.
- Intergovernmental Commissions: There is regular high-level interaction between the two countries.
- The IRIGC (India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission): It is the main body that conducts affairs at the governmental level between both countries. Both countries are members of international bodies including the UN, BRICS, G20 and SCO.
- Two Inter-Governmental Commissions: One on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), co-chaired by EAM and the Russian DPM, and
- Another on Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC- MTC) co-chaired by Russian and Indian Defence Ministers, meet annually.
- Nuclear Energy: Russia recognizes India as a country with advanced nuclear technology with an impeccable non-proliferation record.
- Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) is being built in India with Russian cooperation.
Way Ahead
- Over the years, as India has diversified its relationships in a multi-polar world, the India-Russia relationship has stagnated in some areas and atrophied in others.
- To further strengthen the relationship between Both the nations there is need for;
- Providing a new basis for the existing defense cooperation;
- The opportunity for Indian business conglomerates to explore the economic viability of the Siberian and Far East Region of Russia;
- Strengthening geo-economic connectivity projects;
- Enhancing technological cooperation between India and Russia.