Russian President Vladimir Putin’s State visit to New Delhi on December 4–5 for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit marks a significant milestone in the enduring partnership between India and Russia. The summit comes amid continued Western pressure on New Delhi to diversify its global partnerships, but the Modi-Putin bond has consistently demonstrated resilience and strategic depth since 2014.
A Decade of Strategic Partnership
Since Narendra Modi took office in 2014, India and Russia have consistently advanced their bilateral relationship through over 20 high-level engagements. Their cooperation has evolved beyond personal rapport into sectors of defence, energy, trade, and global diplomacy.
Military-technical cooperation has been the bedrock of this relationship. The $5.43 billion S-400 Triumf missile deal in 2018, along with continuing support for Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets, T-90 tanks, and the BrahMos cruise missile joint venture, epitomizes India’s strategic dependence on Russian technology. This relationship has also embraced joint development and co-production initiatives under India’s ‘Make in India’ program.
In the energy sphere, Russia has become a critical partner, supplying a considerable part of India’s crude oil imports and also engaging in civilian nuclear energy projects, including the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. These have been imperative in strengthening India’s energy security by diversifying sources of supply.
The Post-Ukraine Test
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 marked a severe test for the Modi-Putin partnership. India assumed a neutral position at multilateral venues, abstaining in UN votes critical of Russia, but its diplomacy with Moscow kept going. Indeed, at the 2022 SCO Summit in Samarkand, Modi delivered a public message to Putin that dialogue, not conflict, was the need of the hour.
Despite global pressures, India ramped up Russian crude imports following Western sanctions, making Russia its largest crude supplier by mid-2025. That move bolstered India’s energy security and helped push record bilateral trade volumes to $68.72 billion in FY 2024-25, albeit with a huge trade imbalance.
Key Agenda for December 5 Summit
The coming summit is likely to discuss several strategic and economic issues:
Defence Cooperation: Additional deliveries of the S-400 missiles, acquisition of Sukhoi-57 combat jets, and joint development and production of new military platforms are likely to be discussed between India and Russia. At the same time, smooth supplies of spares and upgrade packages for existing systems are a priority.
Trade and Economic Relations: The issue of trade imbalance will be duly addressed. Russia has already conveyed readiness to facilitate Indian exports in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and IT services. The talks could also cover new financial mechanisms, including converting accumulated rupee balances into investments in Indian assets and integrating payment systems to facilitate bilateral trade.
Energy and Nuclear Cooperation: While imports of Russian crude remain a priority, the summit will discuss newer areas of cooperation such as small modular nuclear reactors, fertilizers, and mineral cooperation to achieve diversified and sustainable economic engagement.
Strategic Signaling: The summit reinforces India’s doctrine of strategic autonomy-leading it to forge ahead with critical partnerships irrespective of Western pressure-while the latter demonstrates Russia’s resilience to sustain global alliances despite sanctions and geopolitical isolation.
The Strength of the Modi-Putin Bond
What stands out most in the enduring strength of their partnership is pragmatism over ideology. There are mutual strategic interests: for India, energy and defence capabilities; for Russia, a reliable Asian partner with an important economic lifeline.
Adaptability has been the key. In the post-Ukraine period, the partnership indeed proved flexible, as India kept its energy and defence commitments, and Russia continued its supply despite sanctions. India and Russia share a vision of a multipolar global order-a factor reinforcing long-term alignment beyond immediate geopolitical challenges.
Challenges Ahead
Despite its depth, the partnership faces some structural challenges:
The trade balance remains in Russia’s favour, thus requiring efforts to increase Indian exports.
India’s defence diversification reduces Russia’s share in new procurements.
Ongoing Western sanctions and geopolitical pressures may affect energy flows and financial mechanisms.
Logistical and regulatory hurdles could delay joint production and technology transfer initiatives.
What’s the future?
The summit on December 5 is more than a ceremonial meeting; it represents a strategic recalibration. India and Russia seek to transform trade and energy dependencies into sustainable diversified partnerships, deepen defence collaboration, and reinforce their global diplomatic alignment.
Successful implementation of agreements on new financial mechanisms, export diversification, and joint defence initiatives could form the basis for a forward-looking India-Russia partnership well into the 2030s.
What the summit underlines is that this is not just a friendship between two leaders; rather, it is a relationship formed through abiding national interests and a shared strategic vision.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
