Brief Context
In News Russia and India have significantly advanced their 25-year strategic partnership amid a changing global landscape. Background In 2000, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee signed the declaration on strategic partnership, which opened a new chapter in bilateral relations. In December 2010, the Strategic Partnership was upgraded to a “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.” Multiple institutional dialogues, including the Intergovernmental C
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Syllabus: GS2/IR
In News
- Russia and India have significantly advanced their 25-year strategic partnership amid a changing global landscape.
Background
- In 2000, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee signed the declaration on strategic partnership, which opened a new chapter in bilateral relations.
- In December 2010, the Strategic Partnership was upgraded to a “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.”
- Multiple institutional dialogues, including the Intergovernmental Commission and 2+2 Dialogue, ensure strong cooperation across politics, defense, trade, science, and culture.
Leadership-level engagements
- The India-Russia Annual Summit is the highest dialogue mechanism, with 22 meetings held alternately in both countries.
- The summit in July 2024 in Moscow resulted in joint statements on partnership and economic cooperation until 2030, alongside 9 signed MoUs.
- The Indian PM received Russia’s highest honor, the Order of Saint Andrew.
- The leaders maintain regular contact through frequent phone calls to discuss bilateral and global issues.
- India and Russia maintain regular ministerial contacts, with frequent meetings between the External Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov and other key ministers.
Multilateral engagement
- India and Russia closely cooperate in multilateral forums like the UN, G20, BRICS, and SCO.
- In 2023, during India’s G20 and SCO presidencies, both countries engaged in multiple high-level meetings.
- Russia supports India’s bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat.
- Russia chaired BRICS in 2024, hosting extensive events including the Leaders’ Summit in Kazan, with India actively participating.
Trade & Economic relations
- India and Russia aim to boost bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030 and investment to $50 billion by 2025.
- In FY 2023-24, trade hit a record $65.7 billion, with India exporting pharmaceuticals and machinery, and importing oil, fertilizers, and minerals from Russia.
- Services trade remains stable, and investments are strong in oil, gas, petrochemicals, banking, railways, and pharmaceuticals.
Defence & Security Cooperation
- India and Russia have strong defence cooperation under the IRIGC-M&MTC, including joint military exercises like INDRA and Vostok.
- Key projects include S-400 systems, T-90 tanks, Su-30 MKI jets, MiG-29 and Kamov helicopters, INS Vikramaditya, AK-203 rifles, and BrahMos missiles. Cooperation has evolved from buyer-seller to joint research and development.
Science & Technology Cooperation
- India and Russia have strong science and technology cooperation, including joint work in spaceflight, nanotech, quantum computing, and nuclear energy (Kudankulam plant).
- Guided by a 2021 roadmap, their collaboration focuses on innovation, technology commercialization, and joint projects, coordinated through regular working group meetings.
Source :DD