India-Russia Relations: A Strategic Partnership in a New Era

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India and Russia have a decades-old strategic and privileged partnership. Global geopolitical turmoil, particularly the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the recent strain in India-US relations, has given this partnership further importance. The recent visit of National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval to Moscow and his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin has given new dimensions to this partnership.

India-Russia Relations in a New Era

• Historical Background: The partnership that began with the Treaty of Friendship of 1971 between India and Russia (former Soviet Union) has today evolved into a strategic and privileged partnership.
• Global Role: Both countries cooperate in multilateral forums such as BRICS, SCO and G20, thereby strengthening the voice of the global South.
• Strategic Importance: Russia is a major partner for defence equipment, nuclear energy and oil supplies for India, while India is an important trading and diplomatic partner for Russia.

Recent Developments

• High-Level Meetings:
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 22nd India-Russia Summit in Moscow in July 2024.
  • External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Brazil (BRICS) and Tianjin, China (SCO) in July 2024.
• Defence Cooperation: On August 6, 2025, Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar discussed bilateral defence cooperation with Russian Deputy Defence Minister Colonel General Alexander Fomin.
• Support on Pahalgam attack: Russia supported India after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025.
• Putin's visit to India: Preparations are almost complete for President Putin's proposed visit to India in the year 2025, which will further strengthen bilateral relations.

National Security Advisor's meeting with President Putin

• Meeting: On August 7, 2025, NSA Ajit Doval met President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.
• Key points:
  • NSA called India's "strategic and special partnership" with Russia important amid global turmoil.
  • Discussed preparations for President Putin's visit to India, which will mark a new turn in bilateral relations.
  • Also discussed with Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Sergei Shoigu, in which multilateral cooperation and international security issues were discussed.
• Significance: The meeting took place a day after US President Donald Trump imposed additional duties on India for Russian oil purchases, reflecting the strategic depth of India-Russia ties.

Bilateral oil trade

• Russian oil imports
  • India has become a major importer of crude oil from Russia following the Russia-Ukraine conflict, growing from 2% in 2022 to over 40% in 2024.
  • India imported 1.97 million barrels per day of oil from Russia in 2024, which was economically beneficial due to affordable prices.
• Impact of US sanctions
  • On August 6, 2025, the US imposed additional duties on India for Russian oil imports, which the Ministry of External Affairs described as "extremely unfortunate".
  • India vowed to ignore the duty and continue oil trade with Russia.
• Economic impact: Oil imports from Russia have helped reduce India's trade deficit and strengthen energy security.

Challenges

• Geopolitical pressures:
  • Pressure from the US and Western countries forces India to balance relations with Russia.
  • The Russia-Ukraine conflict has affected global supply chains and energy markets.
• Economic risks:
  • Dependence on Russian oil makes India vulnerable to global oil price volatility and sanctions.
  • US tariffs may affect India's exports and trade balance.
• Delays in defence supplies: The Russia-Ukraine conflict has led to delays in the supply of S-400 missile defence systems and other defence equipment.
• Global polarisation: India faces the challenge of maintaining neutrality between Russia and Western countries, especially at forums such as BRICS and SCO.
• Public perception: Deepening ties with Russia face some domestic and international criticism, which could impact India’s neutral foreign policy.

Way Forward

• Diversification and balance:
  • India should increase oil imports from the Middle East and other regions to reduce dependence on Russian oil.
  • India should focus on indigenous defence production (Make in India) while strengthening defence cooperation with Russia.
• Diplomatic balance:
  • India should use multilateral forums (BRICS, SCO, G20) to maintain neutrality between Russia and Western countries.
  • India should further strengthen cooperation with countries of the global south (such as Brazil).
• Economic cooperation:
  • India should expand trade with Russia in non-oil sectors, such as technology, space and nuclear energy.
  • India should attract Russian investment in renewable energy and infrastructure in India.
• Role in conflict resolution: India can play the role of mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as suggested by PM Modi in Moscow in the year 2024.
• Expert committees: Both countries should set up joint task forces to further deepen cooperation in defence, energy and trade.