India-Russia Relations

Relations with Russia are an important part of India's foreign policy, and Russia has long been a friendly partner of India.

India-Russia relationship is currently based on:

• Their history of co-operation through a variety of eras.
• India’s need for enhanced security.
• India’s need for military spare parts for existing assets and continued (though diversifying) need for military hardware for which Russia has to compete.
• Co-operation in the nuclear field.
• Energy needs of India.
• Increasing Bilateral Trade: Russian-Indian trade is around US$ 20 billion and the target is US 30 billion by 2025.
• Russia has stated it will co-operate with India on its “Make in India” initiative by engagement in the development of “Smart Cites”, the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial-Corridor Project, the aerospace sector, the commercial nuclear sector and enhancement in manufacturing of Russian military products through co development and co-production.

Challenges to this Relation

• India-US Ties: The strengthening of strategic cooperation between India and the United States has alarmed Russia, which believes that India is progressively moving towards the Western camp.
• Quad - an alliance involving the US, Japan and Australia: Russia has criticized the Indo-Pacific and the 'Quad,' which are fast becoming a focal point of India's foreign strategy.
• Sino-Russian Relations: From India's perspective, China's rising influence creates numerous concerns in the region, whereas Russia sees China as a key ally in managing its conflict with the United States.
• Pakistan Issue: India is concerned about Russia's growing ties with Pakistan, which now includes military supplies and joint military drills.

Conclusion

Russia recognizes that India's strategic collaboration with the United States has gained insurmountable pace; and India recognizes that it has no veto over the Sino-Russian strategic partnership. So, Russia and India are adjusting to this unsettling reality and re-establishing their political connections in the process.