IRIA News

Russian President Putin arrived in India on December 6 to strengthen defense and energy ties between Moscow and New Delhi.

During the meeting, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed wide-ranging issues with the focus on expanding defense and trade relations between the two countries. Both India and Russia seek to achieve the target of $30 billion in trade and $50 billion in investment by 2025.

Indian Prime Minister Modi said in introductory remarks before his meeting with Putin, “In the last few decades, the world witnessed many fundamental changes and different kinds of geopolitical equations emerged but the friendship of India and Russia remained constant.”

Russian President Putin said, “We perceive India as a great power, a friendly nation and a time-tested friend.”

Russian President Putin and Indian Prime Minister Modi also discussed the situation in Afghanistan and pledged to cooperate on the issue to ensure that the country does not become a safe haven for terrorism.

According to a joint statement released after the talks, both countries “reiterated their intention to strengthen defense cooperation, including in the joint development of production of military equipment.”

Before the meeting between the two heads of the state, Russia and India also held their first 2+2 dialogue between the defense ministers and foreign ministers of both sides. India also has a similar arrangement with the Quad members, including the United States, Australia, and Japan.

Russia and India signed a series of bilateral defense agreements, which will enable India to produce more than 600,000 Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles.

India’s Defense Ministry termed the agreement as a “landmark” deal that will help India to replace locally produced rifles with an advanced weapon and meet its defense forces’ needs.

The AK-203 rifle is known for its sturdy mechanical structure and for being easy to use in harsh environments. The rifles can fire 600 rounds per minute and it is expected that their production in India will enhance India’s defense manufacturing industry.

In addition to the Kalashnikov rifles agreement, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu also signed a military technology cooperation agreement for the next ten years, from 2021 to 2031, and the Protocol of the 20th India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military & Military Technical Cooperation.

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said, “India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military & Military Technical Cooperation is a well-established mechanism since last two decades. It provides a platform to discuss and implement mutually agreed agenda for defence cooperation. I wish to acknowledge with respect your valuable personal contribution to strengthen our bilateral defence cooperation.”

Singh also appreciated Russia’s “strong support for India” and emphasized that the close cooperation is not targeted against another country. Singh stated that Indian Ministry of Defense proposed “greater engagements [between India and Russia] in Central Asia and the Indian Ocean region”.

During a media briefing, India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said, “The diversity of agreements and [memorandum of understandings] signed today shows the multi-faceted nature of our bilateral partnership.”

Shringla told reporters that the agreement is “a very important development” in India-Russia military cooperation over the next decade.

India’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hash Vardan Shringla also stated that the two countries have signed 28 investment agreements, including 9 intergovernmental agreements and others involving defense, space, finance, electricity, culture, education, scientific research, and health. The agreement also includes shipbuilding, steel, coal and energy deals.

Russia and India also signed a Memorandum of Understanding that would enable Russia to continue the supply coal to India in order to support its steel production.

Russian oil company Rosneft and Indian Oil Corp also signed an agreement that enable the supply of 2 million tonnes of crude to India by the end of 2022.

Rosneft President Igor Sechin said in a statement “The new oil supply deal confirms the strategic nature of long-term partnership between Rosneft and Indian Oil.”

ALSO READ: Russia-India S-400 Air Defense System Deal

In 2018, India and Russia signed a $5.43 billion deal for five sets of S-400 defense systems. On November 14, Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Dmitry Shugaev said that Russia began the delivery of the S-400 surface-to-air missile systems to India.

However, India faces challenge to balance its relations with the United States and Russia, as the U.S. has expressed its “concern” about the delivery of the Russian S-400 system to India and Western allies are increasingly concerned about close ties between New Delhi and Moscow.