Indian and Russian defence cooperation continues to expand ahead of President Putin’s visit (Photo: X)
India-Russia Summit 2025: India and Russia are readying for yet another high-state moment when President Vladimir Putin travels to New Delhi on December 4–5 for a summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The meeting is expected to push the defence partnership into its next chapter with special attention on India’s “Sudarshan Chakra,” the developing air-defence vision often compared to an Indian version of the Iron Dome.
India's recent battlefield gains during Operation Sindoor reaffirmed how deeply Russian equipment is woven into India's defence strategy. Advanced radar platforms, missile systems, aircraft and electronic warfare tools supplied by Moscow played a decisive role.
The success of Russian-built S-400 units, which shielded Indian airspace during the operation, has intensified New Delhi's interest in securing more of these systems.
During a recent media interaction, Dr. VK Saraswat, a senior scientist and member of NITI Aayog, expressed this very particular partnership born out of a long history.
He said that the early use of Russian SAM-2 missiles and the MiG family of aircraft set the stage for a relationship based on trust and technical depth. Later, tanks such as the T-90 would become central in India's land defence strategy.
What started off as a procurement-based relationship has graduated into a full-fledged co-development partnership. The BrahMos missile is the most telling example of this transition. Its deployment in Operation Sindoor as smooth strikes at supersonic velocity underlined how collaborative engineering has strengthened India’s deterrence capability.
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Sukhoi fighter jets produced under Russian licenses and pressed into service during offensive missions added another dimension to the strength.
The partnership is not limited to weapons. From reactors powering Indian cities to advances in space, Russia has played a constant role in India's civilian nuclear programme and space undertakings.
Joint projects on submarine design also have helped the country secure its maritime interests. Saraswat added that private Indian companies were now heavily invested in those ventures, reflecting a broader industrial partnership.
New Delhi sees its defence links with Moscow as one of the most stable strategic relationships in a changing world. This cooperation, as Saraswat said, has earned its reputation through continuity and convergence of interests. The forthcoming summit is likely to reassure that the partnership is not just intact but ready for deeper integration.
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Disclaimer: This article is based on available reports and expert commentary. It does not represent official government positions or confidential defence assessments.
