COUNTRY RELATIONSHIP · RUSSIA
India & Russia
Russia has been a longstanding and time-tested partner for India, and development of the relationship has been a key pillar of India's foreign policy. Since the 'Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership' in October 2000, ties acquired a qualitatively new character across political, security, defence, trade, science & technology, culture and people-to-people dimensions - elevated in December 2010 to a 'Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.' The relationship has remained strong and stable for 78 years, anchored in a shared commitment to a multipolar world.
COOPERATION AREAS
Where India and Russia actually work together
6 active areas of cooperation, as of 26 November 2025. Click any card for the full brief.
TRADE & INVESTMENT
By the numbers
FY 2024-25 figures as cited in MEA bilateral brief (26 November 2025).
Trade trajectory · USD bn
TOP TRADED ITEMS
AGREEMENTS & MILESTONES
The relationship since 1947, in 11 dates
CURRENT STATE
Where things stand, November 2025
The relationship remains one of India's steadiest, with trade having expanded sharply over the past two years on the back of discounted Russian energy purchases - now running well ahead of the $100bn-by-2030 target's earlier trajectory. President Putin is expected in New Delhi for the 23rd Annual Summit in December 2025, following a year of dense ministerial and leader-level contact including calls after the Pahalgam attack and around the US-Russia Alaska Summit. Defence cooperation continues to deepen with new frigate deliveries and expanded joint exercises, while both sides are exploring co-production and third-country export of platforms like BrahMos, and pushing connectivity initiatives (INSTC, Chennai-Vladivostok corridor, Northern Sea Route) to diversify the relationship beyond its traditional military-nuclear-space core.
SIGNALS TO WATCH
IN CONTEXT
How India and Russia cross paths multilaterally
QUICK FACTS
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Send a correction →Last updated: 26 November 2025