Relations with Russia are a key pillar of our foreign policy, and we regard Russia as a trusted and reliable strategic partner. Ours is a relationship that not only stands independent of any other, but whose signi?cance has grown over time and there is a consensus across the Indian political establishment.This deep rooted relationship with the Soviet Union and thereafter from its successor State Russia, has received extremely valuable political, diplomatic and strategic support on vital issues affecting India's national interests. At crucial times, it was this country that consistently stood by us in international forums on vital issues like Kashmir, Bangladesh and other matters affecting our territorial integrity and sovereignty. India’s journey after Independence has received valuable inputs in areas of industrialization, scientific and technical developments, infrastructure, as well as economic front. Both countries share common views on global issue like nuclear disarmament, multilateralism under the UN, anti-colonialism, anti-apartheid, anti-racism and the right of Palestinians to their homeland. After breakup of USSR, the relationship has developed keeping in mind the contemporary issues and political as well as economic realities. Long-standing ties with India are driven by important defence links and shared hopes of creating a multi-polar world.

Timeline of Indo-Russian relations

• Pre-Independence: Nehru’s visit to the USSR in 1927 left a deep impression on him about mass education, public health infrastructure and the economic progress made by the Soviet Union under the five-year ‘Gos’ plans. Ties between India and the Soviet Union initially were distant and Josef Stalin regarded India as a "tool of Anglo-American imperialism."
• 1953: After Josef Stalin's death in 1953, USSR decided to broaden its international contacts and to cultivate the newly independent countries of Asia and Africa. India needed USSR because of the refusal of the Western countries to extend economic assistance to it for building a self-reliant economy, and also in order to meet its security requirements arising out of Western military assistance to Pakistan
• 1955: Nehru's state visit to the Soviet Union followed by the trip of Premier Nikolai Bulganin and General Secretary Nikita Khrushchev who supported India's position against Pakistan on Kashmir and Goa. This was also the time when India was aiming its belief in state planning and a ‘socialistic pattern of society’, and Nehru was playing a leading role in the Bandung Conference
• 1956: Work on first steel plant in Bhilai with collaboration of USSR begins
• 1959 India had accepted Soviet offers of military sales, against deferred rupee payments, licensed manufacture and without any demands for restricted deployment Indian national autonomy was not compromised.
• 1962: Sino-Indian war, USSR tried to be neutral between what it called ‘brother China’ and ‘friend India’, exacerbated the growing Sino–Soviet split.
• 1965: During the India-Pakistan war of 1965, the Soviet Union acted with US in the UN Security Council to bring about a cease-fire.
• 1966. Soviet premier Aleksei N. Kosygin offered negotiated settlement, which took place at Tashkent. Until 1969 the Soviet Union took an even handed position in South Asia and supplied a limited quantity of arms to Pakistan in 1968.
• 1971: Both signed twenty-year Treaty of Peace, Friendship, and Cooperation signed, treaty acted as a deterrent to China . During the India–Pakistan war in 1971, the USSR took a ?rm position in favour of India and sent ships to the Indian Ocean to counter any move by the USA.
• 1973: Soviet president Leonid Brezhnev visited India, by the late 1970s, the Soviet Union was India's largest trading partner.
• Soviet Union did not receive any special privileges in Indian ports, despite the major Soviet contribution to the construction of shipbuilding and ship-repair facilities at Bombay on the west coast and at Vishakhapatnam on the east coast.
• 1978: rupee-rouble trade agreement
• 1979: The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the closing days of 1979, however, brought about differences in the relation between the two states. The invasion triggered massive deliveries of American weapons to Pakistan, reviving an arms race in the reigion.
• 1985: Rajiv Gandhi journeyed to the Soviet Union in 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1989, and achieved agreements to expand economic, cultural, and scientific and technological cooperation, both nations signed pacts to boost bilateral trade and provide Soviet investment and technical assistance for Indian industrial, telecommunications, and transportation projects.
• In 1985 and 1988, the Soviet Union also extended to India credits of 1 billion rubles and 3 billion rubles, respectively, for the purchase of Soviet machinery and goods.
• Protocols for scientific cooperation, signed in 1985 and 1987, provided the framework for joint research and projects in space science and such high-technology areas as biotechnology, computers, and lasers. The flow of advanced Soviet military equipment also continued in the mid- and late 1980s.
• 1991: Soviet Union disintegrated, became more Eurocentric with neither interest or means to help third world; India was faced with the difficult task of reorienting its external affairs and forging relations with the fifteen Soviet successor states
• 1991-92: Bilateral trade between the two countries fell drastically
• 1992: Dispute over New Delhi's debt to Moscow, Moscow voted for a Pakistani-sponsored UN resolution calling for the establishment of a South Asian nuclear-free zone. Russia urged India to support the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and decided in March 1992 to apply "full-scope safeguards" to future nuclear supply agreements.
• 1993 New Delhi and Moscow worked to redefine their relationship according to post-Cold War realities, 1971 treaty was replaced with the new Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, which dropped security clauses,
• Yeltsin in his visit to India stated that Russia would deliver cryogenic engines and space technology for India's space program, defense cooperation accord aimed at ensuring the continued supply of Russian arms and spare parts. Pressure from the United States, led the Russians to supply technology for cryogenic engines, Russia did supply rockets
• 1994: Rao reciprocated Yeltsin's visit, two leaders signed “Moscow Declaration” assuring international and bilateral goodwill and continuation of Russian arms and military equipment exports to India. Bilateral relations improved as a result of eight agreements
• 1998–99: New Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov started shifting from the previous pro-Western Russian foreign policy, tried to promote Indo-Russia-China triangle.
• 2000: Russian leadership under Vladimir Putin reversed the Yeltsin-era drift in India-Russia bilateral relations, signed the “Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership” and established the institution of annual summit meetings.
• 2005: At its fifth and watershed summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, with representatives of India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan attending an SCO summit for the first time, discussions on Central Asian security-related concerns
• 2006: The foreign ministers of the initial four BRIC states (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) met in New York City in September 2006, beginning a series of high-level meetings.
• 2009: India and Russia signed an agreement on a long term program for military and technical cooperation for the period 2011-2020, cooperating in high-tech areas, energy security, the nuclear power industry, use of the GLONASS navigation system, military and technical spheres as well as in science and culture.
• The BRIC grouping's first formal summit, also held in Yekaterinburg, commenced on 16 June 2009, with focus on improving global economic situation and reforming financial institutions.
• 2010: Strategic Partnership was elevated to the level of a “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership”
• South Africa officially became a member nation on 24 December 2010, after being formally invited by the BRIC countries to join the group now rechristened as BRICS
• 2013: Dr. Manmohan Singh visited Moscow and had a meeting with President Putin. A Joint Statement “Deepening the Strategic Partnership for Global Peace and Stability” was adopted during the Summit.
• 2014: Russian President Vladimir Putin visited India to discuss trade with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Joint statement “'Druzhba-Dosti: A Vision for strengthening the Indian-Russian Partnership over the next decade" was released during this visit
• 2015: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Russia , Russia regained its position as biggest arm supplier to India

Historical importance of India-Russia relations

• Bilateral ties with Russia are a key pillar of India's foreign policy. India Views Russia as a time-tested, trustworthy and reliable strategic partner.  This excellent political understanding was underpinned by a strong economic and strategic relationship reflected in the unmatched assistance India received from the Soviet Union/Russia in the development of our economy as well as in the sensitive areas of defence, space and atomic energy.
• India was offered cheap economic credits for infrastructure projects, gratefully accepted and repaid in rupees because we neither had the capital, nor the technological know-how to develop them on our own, nor the foreign exchange to pay for them; reliable, affordable and good quality military supplies, also on credit; and large-scale supply of crucial products like oil, fertilizers, metals, etc.

Indo-Russian Pentagon

• The Indo-Russian strategic pentagon has five major components– (i) political (with sustained, regular dialogue at the highest level), (ii) counter terrorism cooperation, (iii) defence, (iv) civil nuclear energy and (v) space.
• Russia was the first country with which India started holding the annual summit, a mechanism that India currently has in place with just two countries till date – Japan being the other one. Virtually every department of Government of India is present at the Indo-Russian inter-governmental commissions where the two sides review their cooperation in every sector, to have candid exchanges and to constructively address some of the challenges that confront them.
• In sphere of defense, Russia holds a very important status, as no other country has proven to be such a reliable partner for hardware. More importantly, India and Russia have moved to a phase of joint design and development, and of multi-year joint collaboration programs, with substantive sharing of critical technologies.
• On the global stage, Russia remains India’s trusted friend and confidante. Russia’s overt support for India’s permanent membership of the UNSC, the NSG, SCO and the APEC are extremely vital for us. India's entry as permanent member in SCO is supported by Russia. Moreover, Russia has often tried to persuade others while endorsing India’s credentials. This is an outcome of the unique tradition of political proximity that we have cultivated over the years.

Strategic advantage for India in its relationship with Russia?

• Mutual interests sustain India-Russia relationship because both see the other as relevant to their respective national priorities. Both recognise that, as rising powers they need to play an increasingly larger role on the world stage in the coming decades, there is mutual gain in strengthening the edifice of a deep-rooted partnership that has survived the turbulence of the 1990s.
• There is a shared interest in weakening US global hegemony and in creating a multipolar world. There is reciprocal support and understanding for each other's interests and policies in their respective strategic neighbourhoods -- South Asia in the case of India, and the former Soviet Union in the case of Russia.
• There is a complementarity of interests in important fields of cooperation such as oil and gas, defence, nuclear, space, science and technology -- all areas that constitute Russia's core strength and globally competitiveness and, reciprocally, areas where India needs foreign assistance and collaboration.
• Russian-Indian relations give a strategic advantage to both on time tested and empirically verified conclusions base on more than 80 bilateral documents giving it the necessary politico-legal basis to them. The strategic edge that India gets from its relationship with Russia are in areas that are critical to Indian interests like Kashmir, energy security, and in relations with China and Central Asia.
• Russia’s stand on the issue of Kashmir and the terrorism faced by India on account of this dispute has been consistent and unconditional over time or regime change. International terrorism is perceived as a threat in the Russian national security doctrine, and both India and Russia have expressed concern that the international coalition against terrorism has not paid sufficient attention to terrorism in regions like Kashmir, Chechnya etc.
• Strategic interests of India, where Russia is the key player, are the Central Asian Republics (CARs) and the Asian regional networks like Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). These two issues are interlinked with other key strategic and material interests of India like energy security, relations with China and regional security.
• India’s interest in the region lies in the vast oil and natural gas reserves in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In Tajikistan, India has a geo-strategic interest, since it borders Afghanistan, Pakistan and West Asia. India has negotiated an air base in Tajikistan. The Caspian Sea basin is the region of major hydrocarbons and India can gain access to this region through Russia.
• India’s relations with Russia are based on structural inter-dependence and a key to this is that the Indian military continues to depend on Russia for almost 70 per cent of its hardware imports. Defence orders from India sustain part of the Russian military industrial complex.

Institutional Mechanisms between India and Russia

• To consolidate and advance the multifaceted bilateral ties, several dialogue mechanisms, operating both at the political and official levels have been instituted to ensure regular interaction and follow up on our cooperation activities. the year 2000 ‘Declaration on the India Russia Strategic Partnership, has been upgraded to “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership” in 2010.
• The system of Annual Summit meetings between the Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation is the highest and most important mechanism for bilateral interaction, with meetings held alternately in India and Russia. Since the year 2000, 14 Summits have taken place, 14th Annual Summit was held in 2013.Two Inter-Governmental Commissions - one on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), co-chaired by the External Affairs Minister and the Russian Deputy Prime Minister and another on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC- MTC) co-chaired by Russian and Indian Defense Ministers, meet annually.
• India - Russia Forum on Trade and Investment co-chaired by the Commerce and Industry Minister of India and the Russian Minister for Economic Development, and India - Russia CEOs’ Council are the two primary mechanisms to promote direct bilateral business - to - business contacts between India and Russia. Mechanisms such as India - Russia Business Council (partnership between FICCI of India and CCI of Russia), India - Russia Trade, Investment and Technology Promotion Council (partnership between CII of India and RUIE of Russia), India - Russia Business Dialogue (partnership between CII of India and the Business Council for Cooperation with India of Russia) and India - Russia Chamber of Commerce (with focus on SMEs) supplement the efforts to build direct business - to - business ties. In June 2013, the 4th India-Russia Business Dialogue was held within the framework of the annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). A meeting of India - Russia CEOs’ Council was also held in June 2013 in St. Petersburg.
• Druzhba-Dosti: A Vision for strengthening the Indian-Russian Partnership over the next decade.: The President of the Russian Federation, H.E. Mr. Vladimir V. Putin, paid an official visit to India on December 11, 2014 at the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, H.E. Mr. Narendra Modi, for the 15th Annual Summit between the two countries. During the Summit, the leaders agreed on a vision for strengthening the India-Russia partnership over the next decade: Druzhba-Dosti: A Vision for strengthening the Indian-Russian Partnership over the next decade.

Defence cooperation between Indian and Russia

• In the entire spectrum of Russian-Indian relations, the military technical cooperation has traditionally been accorded the most prominent status. The first deals involving the deliveries of Soviet weapon systems to India were made in 1962, when India purchased helicopters, transport aircraft and the MiG-21 jet fighters. In the same year, the construction of production facilities for military hardware was undertaken at Nasik, Koraput and Hyderabad. In the year 2000, an agreement was reached between our two countries on the creation of an Inter-governmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation, inter-governmental accords were signed on the purchase and production in India of cutting-edge Russian tanks, armoured vehicles and fighter aircraft under Russian licenses and also on the transfer to India of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft-carrier.
• The India-Russia Inter Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC), co-chaired by Raksha Mantri and the Russian Defence Minister is the main institutional mechanism for interaction in this area.
• India - Russia military technical cooperation has evolved from a simple buyer - seller framework to one involving joint research and development, joint production and marketing of advanced defence technologies and systems. BrahMos Missile System, Joint development of the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft and the Multi Transport Aircraft, as well as the licensed production in India of SU-30 aircraft and T-90 tanks, are examples of such flagship cooperation. Recently Russian-built frigate Trikand was delievered to India in 2013, licensed production of Su-30MKI aircraft and T-90S tanks in India, as well as successful delivery of the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya.
• Military cooperation is proceeding well because it is mutually profitable and beneficial. India finds Russian military equipment reliable and appreciates Russia's willingness to sell state-of-the-art equipment and engage in joint research and development of new products.
• Considering the large volume of business, and India's record of timely payments and scrupulously settled Soviet-era debts, India is a valuable customer for Russia in military hardware, which it doesn't want to lose to competition from new sources like Israel, France and the US.
• Both countries are having two joint military exercises: INDRA and Avia-Indra. INDRA is a joint, bi-annual military exercise conducted by India and Russia starting in 2003. The exercise is tasked with boosting coperation and interoperability between the Russian and Indian navies. Avia-Indra is annual military exercise conducted by the Air forces of India and Russia that is held in two parts

India and Russia in energy sector

• With synergies arising out of the fact that India is an energy-deficient country and Russia an energy-surplus one, energy is an increasingly important area for the future. India seeks more investments in Russia in the upstream oil and gas sector to ensure reliable long-term energy security, while Russia regards India as an important and growing market for Russian exports of oil and gas and wants a share in the downstream oil and gas business in India.
• India has invested about $2 billion in the oil production business under the Sakhalin-1 project and is currently evaluating opportunities for its involvement in the Sakhalin-3 project.
• India is seeking to increase its energy imports from Russia and the Central Asian Republics of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in various ways that include partnership and investments in oilfields. However, India needs to be more focused in this area. A North-South international transport corridor, that is based on a combination of land and sea routes, is on the anvil and India needs collaboration with Iran and Russia in this regard.
• Russia is India’s standing partner in peaceful uses of nuclear energy and it recognizes India as a country with advanced nuclear technology with an impeccable non-proliferation record. Construction of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) Units 1 & 2 (VVER 1000 MW units) is an example of fruitful cooperation between India and Russia. KKNPP
• India and Russia have signed a General  Framework Agreement on KKNPP Units 3 & 4 and subsequent contracts are under preparation.
• Creation of legal mechanisms for implementing the Green Corridor arrangement and plan to soon launch it in a test mode.

India and Russia Trade and Commerce

• Both sides acknowledge vast potential for an increase in bilateral trade volumes and investment, given the respective sizes of the Indian and Russian economies, as also the untapped economic complementarities. Special efforts are being made in the fields of energy, pharmaceuticals, IT, steel, hydrocarbons, diamonds aerospace, fertilizers, and food products.
• Bilateral Trade has been growing steadily from US $ 7.5 bn (2009) to, US $ 9.5 bn (2014), wherein Indian exports were USD 3.17 billion and Russian exports were USD 6.34 billion
• India - Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), co-chaired by the External Affairs Minister of India and the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, is the main institutional mechanism supervising economic cooperation. It integrates six working groups on economic and trade cooperation, modernization and industrial cooperation, energy, tourism and culture, science and technology, and IT. The 18th IRIGC-TEC meeting was held in New Delhi on 15 October 2012. An inter-sessional meeting of IRIGC-TEC was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Mr. Salman Khurshid and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Dmitry Rogozin on 29 April 2013 in Moscow.
• Both countries encouraged Indian and Russian enterprises to explore more fully new opportunities arising from increasing national focus on infrastructure development and expanding the manufacturing sector. It is expected that Russian companies will utilize the opportunities in a wide range of Indian sectors and will ‘Make in India’.
• Joint Study Group (JSG) launched by India and the Eurasian Economic Commission  to explore the feasibility of a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement covering trade in goods, services, investment cooperation, movement of natural persons and mutual recognition of standards, is of great importance for bilateral economic cooperation.
• An emphasis laid on promoting Russian investments in India in major infrastructure projects like DMIC, Smart Cities and Freight Corridors, as well as in broader sectors like telecom, power and roads. In Russia, Indian participation in Industrial Parks and technology platforms, in sectors like pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, coal and energy will be encouraged. The sides will encourage specialized investment funds to invest in these sectors and in the joint manufacturing of high technology products.
• Both countries set a target of bilateral trade turnover of goods and services at US$30 billion by the year 2025. It is expected that the level of mutual investments by then will be over US$15 billion each way.
• Initiatives to promote direct trade in diamonds between Russia and India, including the increased number of Indian resident companies signing long-term rough diamonds supply contracts.
• Agreement between Rosneft and ONGC Videsh Limited for acquiring 15% stakes by OVL in Rosneft’s Vankorneft Oil fields and discussions for further stakes in future.

India and Russia in Technology and Space projects

• India's first steel plant, Bhilai, was set up with Soviet assistance and today's globally competitive public sector companies like BHEL, ONGC and HAL were also set up with Soviet cooperation.
• Soviet researchers and experts were involved in the establishment of more than 30 R&D centres and laboratories in India, including the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay, Indian R&D Institutes of Petroleum at Dehradun and Ahmedabad, autonomous faculties at educational establishments, and technical colleges of metallurgy in Ranchi,  petroleum in Baroda, heavy engineering in Bhopal, and radio-engineering at Hyderabad.
• The Working Group on Science and Technology functioning under IRIGCTEC, the Integrated Long Term Programme (ILTP) and the Basic Science Cooperation Programme are the three main institutional mechanisms for bilateral Science and Technology cooperation, while the Science Academies of the two countries promote inter-academy exchanges. ILTP which supports collaborative research in basic and applied sciences has resulted in establishment of 9 thematic centers in India and Russia and implementation of about 500 projects.
• In 2010, ILTP was extended for another 10 years with a renewed mandate “innovation led technology programme”. India-Russia Science and Technology Centre with a branch each in Delhi-NCR and Moscow was set up in 2011-12 in order to promote transfer of technologies developed jointly or independently by the scientists of the two countries.
• India and Russia collaborate in several high-technology space projects. Under the 2004 Inter - Governmental Agreement on “Cooperation in the area of exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes”, Russia and India cooperate in Moon Mission projects such as “Chandrayan- 2”. In April 2011,the jointly developed Indian - Russian Student Satellite “Youthsat” was successfully launched by India on a PSLV rocket.
• in March 2010, an Inter Governmental Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Use of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes and a “Road Map” for our future bilateral nuclear cooperation were signed.
• In 2015, the two countries commemorated the 40 years of the launch of Indian satellite 'Aryabhata' using Soyuz launch vehicle.
• Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding signed between OJSC "GLONASS”, Glonass Union and the Centre for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC) for cooperation in commercial applications through integration of Russian and Indian satellite navigation systems.

Steps required to enhance Indo-Russian relations

• In the last 15 years since the breakup of USSR and liberalization in major political and economic changes have taken place due to rapid economic growth, large foreign exchange reserves, their respective strengths; Russia as an 'energy superpower' and India as a 'knowledge superpower'.
• In today's complicated and fast changing geopolitical situation, both countries have wisely diversified their foreign policy options, yet are careful not to undermine a mutually beneficial partnership of trust built up over decades but need to build on some specific areas.
• in order to give a sound foundation and impart long-term stability to Indo-Russian relations, trade and economic cooperation, currently at a worryingly low level, has to increase and diversify. There is a need to diversify the trade basket, both import and export. The business community in both countries is sceptical about its counterpart. The combination of Russian potential in high technology and availability of 30 per cent of world resources with India's standing in the fields of industry and engineering could result in major achievements. Economic cooperation is extremely important.
• Space exploration is another major priority area for India since it is a long term and ambitious endeavour and no state can embark upon it alone. The geopolitics of the 21st century dictate that there is a need to take Indo-Russian collaboration to greater heights and space collaboration could play a key role towards this end. Civil Nuclear Cooperation is another area of importance where there is vast scope for India-Russia cooperation.
• Russia is not happy about India diversifying its sources of arms procurement. Russia would have to resolve the internal issues that arise from its military industrial exports centring on Rosoboronexport. The two sides need to deepen their cooperation in this area and expand it to the more dynamic civilian sector.
• In November 2014, Russia agreed to sell Pakistan its Mi-35 attack helicopters and planned to hold its first joint military exercise with the Islamic nation. Moscow's relations with Beijing, too, have seen an upsurge in the wake of its rapidly deteriorating relations with the West over the conflict in Crimea. Of particular concern to India is the Russian sale of the S-400 Triumf and the advanced Su-35 air superiority fighter to China. Russia should counter this inclination with proper pro Indian Steps.
• Both sides also realize that considerable potential exists for cooperation in the fields of modernization, energy, pharmaceuticals, IT aerospace, agriculture etc.
• India should participate in the Russian initiative to create a counterpart to Silicon Valley in Skolkovo, outside Moscow. The Russian IT and innovation sector is competitive and Russia enjoys enormous depth in scientific studies. India should enter into collaborative arrangements which would help the cause of innovation in both countries and their translation into concrete economic benefits.
• India and Russia need to discuss how to enhance India’s participation in Central Asia and benefit from the China-India-Russia initiative. Russia has reached out to Pakistan at the Sochi Summit and strengthened its relations with China. India’s participation in forums like SCO, RIC and BRIC needs to be strengthened, through which India and Russia can work to maintain regional security as well as enhance cooperation in the sector of environment and disaster management, in pharmaceuticals, metallurgy, biotechnology as well as in tourism.
• India should promote a greater focus on Russia, and launch initiatives for the study of Russia in India. There should be greater effort in publicising the benefits of bilateral cooperation in both countries, for which there is very little visibility.