&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "India-Russia strategic partnership: How it started vs how it is going")
New Delhi is all set to welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 4 for a high-profile two-day state visit aimed at strengthening defence, energy, and strategic cooperation between the two long-time partners. The visit comes at a time of shifting global power dynamics, Western sanctions on Moscow, and India’s continued push for strategic autonomy. The Modi-Putin meeting is closely being watched by the top leaders of the world including the one in Washington, making the engagement geopolitically very significant.
India–Russia strategic partnership
India and Russia’s relationship have evolved one of the most enduring strategic partnerships of the Cold War era. Formal cooperation between the two countries began in the late 1950s, as the Soviet Union emerged as a key diplomatic, economic, and military partner for New Delhi. The relationship reached a defining moment during the 1971 Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship, and Cooperation, signed ahead of the Bangladesh Liberation War, solidifying Moscow as India’s most reliable global ally.
Also Read: 'Russia and India set to ink rocket engine deal', says Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Bakanov
After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, relations briefly slowed but regained momentum in the late 1990s when Russia backed India following its 1998 nuclear tests. In 2000, both countries signed the Strategic Partnership Agreement, later upgraded in 2010 to a “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership,” expanding collaboration across defence technologies like the S-400 system and BrahMos missile, nuclear energy projects such as Kudankulam, space missions, hydrocarbons, and trade. Despite global shifts, including India’s improving relations with the West and Russia’s closeness to China, the partnership remains resilient. India’s substantial purchase of discounted Russian oil after the Ukraine war reflects continued economic interdependence.
Trending Stories
)
Scientists discover world's largest 'whale graveyard' hidden 7km beneath the Indian Ocean
)
Woman doctor apologizes after viral clip from Pranit More's show sparks outrage: 'Said a very wrong thing, I am sorry'
)
Father of slain Indian sailor Aditya Sharma criticises US over strike on tanker off Oman
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Do dark-coloured cars burn more fuel for AC in summer?
)
US 'completes' latest strikes in Iran after Trump claims Tehran asked him to stop bombing
)
Iran Guards claim destroying US command centre in Jordan
)
Indian-origin Canadian police officer Tarun Bali killed in line of duty, teen charged with murder
)
Peddi Row: Leaked chats and make-up artist reveal Janhvi Kapoor objected to oversexualized shots, but was ignored
)
Iran War: India Summons US Envoy Over Vessel Attack
)
Three missing Indian seafarers confirmed dead in US strike on tanker
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
China's Gaokao vs India's JEE: Comparing the world's toughest entrance examinations
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
FIFA World Cup 2026 opening ceremony: Shakira, Nora Fatehi, LISA and more-a look at all the performers of the night
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Beyond Strait of Hormuz: How the Oman-Gujarat deep-sea pipeline could transform India's energy imports
)
Why Nepal joins Japan in banning Indian Mango imports & how it could impact exporters
)
‘Will hit Iran very hard tonight,’ warns Trump, says US will take over Kharg Island, oil exports like Venezuela
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Apache helicopter cost vs power: Is it worth millions per unit?
)
FIFA 2026 | Haiti asked to change jersey on eve of football World Cup over 'political messaging'
)
'Lethal plotting and malign actions': US, UK and 20 other countries warn Iran to stop attacks on foreign soil
)
Why is Pranit More being called out for his latest show? Know all about the 'Rs 370 ki biryani' controversy
)
Russia proposes two-seater Su-57E variant and weapons integration to India
)
Zee Unite8 Sports Channels go live as wait for FIFA World Cup broadcast in India ends
)
Bear on the loose in Japanese city forces closure of nearly 100 schools
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
From Maradona's Hand of God to Zidane's headbutt: The 10 most controversial moments in FIFA World Cup history
)
Company accidentally blows away Rs 4,800 crore on Claude AI in a month because of a tiny oversight
)
Sweden’s Saab in ‘continuous’ talks with India for Gripen E fighter jets
)
How RSI-India, inspired by MIT, is giving Indian school students a taste of cutting-edge research
)
‘Made in India’: First indigenous Airbus C-295 completes maiden test flight | WATCH
)
US will receive a 'painful response': Tehran on Trump's threat of 'hitting Iran very hard'
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Is it logically smarter to buy an electric car right now just to avoid fuel costs?
)
Trump’s ‘Naruto’ video sparks backlash and 20,000 file online petition in Japan
)
Tanker MT Jalveer carrying Indian sailors attacked off Oman coast
How India-Russia strategic partnership changed after PM Modi
India–Russia relations have shifted noticeably since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014. UnderPM Modi, defence cooperation initially deepened with major deals like the S-400 air defence system, AK-203 rifle production, and continued work on the BrahMos missile programme. However, unlike earlier decades where Russia was India’s dominant defence supplier, PM Modi’s foreign policy diversified India’s procurement toward the US, France, and Israel. As a result, Russia’s share in India’s defence imports has declined, though cooperation in joint production and legacy military platforms remains significant.
Economically, the relationship saw limited progress initially due to sanctions on Russia and low trade volumes. But the Ukraine war transformed this dynamic. India became one of the largest buyers of discounted Russian crude oil, increasing bilateral trade to record highs and shifting the partnership toward energy-driven economics rather than defence-led dependency.
