India-Russia Celebrate 25 Years of Strategic Partnership

General Studies Paper-2

Context: Russia and India have significantly advanced their 25-year strategic partnership amid a changing global landscape.

Background

• In 2000, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee signed the declaration on strategic partnership, which opened a new chapter in bilateral relations.
• In December 2010, the Strategic Partnership was upgraded to a “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.”
• Multiple institutional dialogues, including the Intergovernmental Commission and 2+2 Dialogue, ensure strong cooperation across politics, defense, trade, science, and culture.

Leadership-level engagements

• The India-Russia Annual Summit is the highest dialogue mechanism, with 22 meetings held alternately in both countries.
• The summit in July 2024 in Moscow resulted in joint statements on partnership and economic cooperation until 2030, alongside 9 signed MoUs.
• The Indian PM received Russia’s highest honor, the Order of Saint Andrew.
• The leaders maintain regular contact through frequent phone calls to discuss bilateral and global issues.
• India and Russia maintain regular ministerial contacts, with frequent meetings between the External Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov and other key ministers.

Multilateral engagement

• India and Russia closely cooperate in multilateral forums like the UN, G20, BRICS, and SCO.
• In 2023, during India’s G20 and SCO presidencies, both countries engaged in multiple high-level meetings.
• Russia supports India’s bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat.
• Russia chaired BRICS in 2024, hosting extensive events including the Leaders’ Summit in Kazan, with India actively participating.

Trade & Economic relations

• India and Russia aim to boost bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030 and investment to $50 billion by 2025.
• In FY 2023-24, trade hit a record $65.7 billion, with India exporting pharmaceuticals and machinery, and importing oil, fertilizers, and minerals from Russia.
• Services trade remains stable, and investments are strong in oil, gas, petrochemicals, banking, railways, and pharmaceuticals.

Defence & Security Cooperation

• India and Russia have strong defence cooperation under the IRIGC-M&MTC, including joint military exercises like INDRA and Vostok.
• Key projects include S-400 systems, T-90 tanks, Su-30 MKI jets, MiG-29 and Kamov helicopters, INS Vikramaditya, AK-203 rifles, and BrahMos missiles. Cooperation has evolved from buyer-seller to joint research and development.

Science & Technology Cooperation

• India and Russia have strong science and technology cooperation, including joint work in spaceflight, nanotech, quantum computing, and nuclear energy (Kudankulam plant).
• Guided by a 2021 roadmap, their collaboration focuses on innovation, technology commercialization, and joint projects, coordinated through regular working group meetings.