25th anniversary of India-Russia ‘Strategic Partnership’

• President Droupadi Murmu received her Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at Rashtrapati Bhavan on December 5. She also hosted a banquet in his honour.

• Putin was accorded a ceremonial welcome and a tri-services guard of honour at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

• President Murmu said Putin’s visit marks an important milestone: the 25th anniversary of the India-Russia Strategic Partnership, which was established in October 2000 during his first visit to India as President.

• She appreciated President Putin’s support and personal commitment to the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.

• The year 2025 has been especially fruitful for India-Russia multifaceted partnership, with notable progress in areas including high-level political exchanges, trade and economy, defence, civil nuclear cooperation, space, science and technology, education, culture and vibrant people-to-people exchanges.

India-Russia Bilateral Ties

• Russia has been a longstanding and time-tested partner for India. 

• Development of India-Russia relations has been a key pillar of India’s foreign policy. 

• Since the signing of the ‘Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership’ in October 2000 (during the visit of President Putin), India-Russia ties have acquired a qualitatively new character with enhanced levels of cooperation in almost all areas, including political, security, defence, trade and economy, science & technology, culture, and people-to-people ties. 

• During the visit of the Russian President to India in December 2010, the Strategic Partnership was elevated to the level of ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership’.

• In December 2021, a new dimension to the bilateral cooperation was added with the first 2+2 Dialogue (foreign and defence ministers of both countries) taking place alongside the Summit-level talks.

• India has wide-ranging cooperation with Russia in the field of defence. 

• India-Russia military technical cooperation has evolved from a buyer-seller framework to one involving joint research, development and production of advanced defence technologies and systems. 

• Bilateral projects include the supply of S-400, licensed production of T-90 tanks and Su-30 MKI, supply of MiG-29 and Kamov helicopters, INS Vikramaditya, production of AK-203 rifles in India and BrahMos missiles.

• Science & technology has played a key role in the bilateral India-Russia partnership, especially in the early days after India’s independence. 

• Today, India and Russia work together on basic sciences, materials science, mathematics and cutting-edge areas like India’s manned spaceflight program (Gaganyaan), nanotechnologies, etc. 

• India’s only nuclear power plant established with another country is in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu which is established in collaboration with Russia.

• The primary mechanism at the government level for enhancing trade and economic cooperation is the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific & Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC).

• Intensifying the trade and economic relations has been identified as a priority area by both the leaders who had set the targets of increasing bilateral investment to $50 billion (by 2025) and bilateral trade to $100 billion (by 2030). 

• Bilateral trade between India and Russia reached a record high of $68.7 billion in FY 2024-25. 

• It comprises India’s exports worth $4.9 billion and imports from Russia amounting to $63.8 billion. 

• Major items of export from India include pharmaceuticals, organic and inorganic chemicals, iron & steel and marine products.

• Major items of import from Russia include oil and petroleum products, vegetable oil (particularly sunflower oil), fertilizers, coking coal, precious stones and metals.