India-Russia Strategic Relationship – IR
News: Prime Minister Modi is on a two-day visit to
Russia.
What’s in the news:
Key Highlights
·
India and Russia are working on the Eastern
Maritime Corridor and the two countries were discovering each other
through the Ganga-Volga dialogue.
·
The Eastern Maritime Corridor is a proposed
sea route between Chennai, India, and Vladivostok, Russia, passing through the
Sea of Japan, the South China Sea, and the Malacca Strait.
·
India will set up two new consulates in the
Russian cities of Kazan and Yekaterinburg.
Significance of the visit:
India aims to ensure that Russia's engagements with China
do not undermine Indian strategic interests, particularly in defence technology
sharing. Discussions during Modi's visit will likely address concerns over the
use and transfer of sensitive defense technologies.
India- Russia Relations
·
Political
Relations: A watershed moment in relations between India
and the Soviet Union was the signing of the Treaty of Peace and
Friendship in 1971.
·
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union,
India and Russia entered into a new Treaty of Friendship and
Cooperation in 1993.
·
In 2000, during the visit of President Putin
to India, the partnership acquired a new qualitative character, that of a Strategic
Partnership.
·
In 2010 the relationship was
elevated to the status of a Special and Privileged Strategic
Partnership.
·
Defense and Security
Cooperation: BrahMos Missile System as well as the
licensed production in India of SU-30 aircraft and T-90 tanks are
examples of such flagship cooperation.
·
Both sides concluded agreements on the supply
of S-400 air defense systems, construction of frigates under
Project 1135.6 and shareholders agreement on the formation of a joint venture
to manufacture Ka-226T helicopters in India.
·
The two countries also hold exchanges and
training exercises between their armed forces annually termed INDRA.
·
Trade and Economic
Relations: Both sides revised targets of increasing
bilateral investment to US $50 billion and bilateral trade to US $30
billion by 2025. However, bilateral trade reached an all-time high of
$65.70 billion in FY 2023-24.
·
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine,
India has been buying large amounts of Russian oil at a discount to cushion the
inflationary impact of rising crude prices.
·
Intergovernmental
Commissions: There is regular high-level interaction
between the two countries.
·
The IRIGC
(India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission): It is the main body that conducts affairs at the
governmental level between both countries. Both countries are members of
international bodies including the UN, BRICS, G20 and SCO.
·
Two
Inter-Governmental Commissions: One
on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC),
co-chaired by EAM and the Russian DPM, and
·
Another on Military-Technical
Cooperation (IRIGC- MTC) co-chaired by Russian and Indian Defence
Ministers, meet annually.
·
Nuclear Energy: Russia recognizes India as a country with advanced
nuclear technology with an impeccable non-proliferation record.
·
Kudankulam Nuclear
Power Plant (KKNPP) is being built in India with Russian
cooperation.