India-Russia ties retain strategic resilience amid geopolitical turbulence
By Aroonim Bhuyan
New Delhi, Sep 11. The meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi underlines the continuing strategic importance that both countries attach to their relationship at a time of profound geopolitical uncertainty.
The meeting on September 11, the second between Modi and Putin this year after their August 31 talks on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, came against the backdrop of conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region, disruptions to maritime trade and continuing changes in the global strategic order. Yet the breadth of issues reviewed by the two leaders – from defence and energy to space, trade, skills and people-to-people ties – demonstrated that the India-Russia relationship continues to extend well beyond any single geopolitical issue.
The two sides also reaffirmed their intention to further strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, describing it as a relationship that has continued to grow and shown resilience despite geopolitical uncertainties.
A relationship adapting to a changing world
The significance of the Modi-Putin engagement lies partly in the fact that India-Russia ties are being tested by a rapidly changing international environment. Russia’s prolonged confrontation with the West has transformed the geopolitical landscape in Europe, while conflicts in West Asia have created additional pressure on energy markets, shipping routes and global supply chains.
For India, maintaining a stable relationship with Moscow is important because Russia remains a significant partner across several strategic sectors. Defence cooperation has traditionally been the strongest pillar, but the relationship has progressively acquired a broader economic, energy, technological and geopolitical character.
The latest meeting indicates that New Delhi and Moscow are seeking to consolidate this wider relationship rather than allow geopolitical disruptions to narrow the partnership.
The fact that the two leaders met twice within a short period also points to the importance attached to sustained political dialogue at the highest level.
Defence remains a critical pillar
Defence cooperation continues to constitute one of the most important foundations of the India-Russia relationship.
Over several decades, Russia and the former Soviet Union became major suppliers of military equipment to India, creating extensive inter-operability, maintenance infrastructure, technical expertise and institutional linkages between the two armed forces.
However, the nature of the defence relationship is changing.
India is increasingly seeking joint development, co-production, technology transfer and industrial partnerships rather than remaining predominantly a buyer of foreign defence equipment. This fits into New Delhi’s broader objective of building an indigenous defence-industrial base.
Russia, for its part, has demonstrated willingness to participate in production and technology partnerships in India. The BrahMos programme remains a prominent example of what the two countries can achieve through sustained technological cooperation.
The future of defence ties is therefore likely to be determined increasingly by the extent to which Russian and Indian companies can integrate into each other’s defence-industrial ecosystems.
This is particularly important as India seeks to reduce its dependence on imports while retaining access to advanced technologies and maintaining the operational effectiveness of equipment already inducted from Russia.
Energy is becoming an even more important pillar
Energy cooperation has acquired greater strategic significance as India seeks reliable and affordable supplies amid disruptions in global energy markets.
Russia’s importance to India’s energy security has increased substantially in recent years, particularly through crude oil supplies. The relationship has demonstrated the value of diversified sourcing at a time when global energy flows have been repeatedly affected by geopolitical tensions.
For India, the central consideration remains energy security – securing adequate supplies at competitive prices while avoiding excessive dependence on any single source or route.
This is particularly relevant following the disruptions caused by conflicts affecting major maritime routes.
The Modi-Putin discussion of energy therefore needs to be viewed within India’s broader strategy of maintaining a diversified energy portfolio while accelerating the transition towards renewable and cleaner sources.
West Asia and maritime security
The reference by Modi and Putin to conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region is particularly significant from India’s perspective.
Both theatres have implications beyond the immediate conflicts. They affect shipping, insurance costs, energy supplies, commodity prices and international trade.
For India, maritime security has an additional human dimension because a large number of Indian nationals work in the global shipping industry.
The safety of Indian seafarers has become an increasingly important element of New Delhi’s diplomacy as geopolitical conflicts threaten major maritime corridors.
Modi’s reiteration that dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward reflects India’s consistent preference for negotiated solutions to international conflicts. At the same time, his offer that India is ready to contribute to peace efforts reflects New Delhi’s growing aspiration to play a constructive role in conflict resolution.
This diplomatic position also enables India to maintain working relationships with countries on opposing sides of geopolitical conflicts.
BRICS provides another important platform
The meeting took place during India’s 2026 BRICS chairship, adding a multilateral dimension to the Modi-Putin discussions.
For India, BRICS has become an important platform for advancing the interests of the Global South and promoting a more representative international order.
Russia is an important member of the grouping, and coordination between New Delhi and Moscow within BRICS can influence discussions on trade, development finance, energy, technology, connectivity and global governance.
India’s approach to BRICS, however, is unlikely to be defined by its relationship with any single member. New Delhi has consistently sought to use the grouping as a broader platform for cooperation among emerging economies.
Russia’s support and participation therefore remain important to India’s efforts to make the 2026 chairship substantive and relevant to the wider Global South.
INNOPROM points to the economic challenge
The two leaders’ visit to the first INNOPROM India exhibition also highlighted another dimension of the relationship: the need to deepen economic ties.
The India-Russia relationship has historically been heavily weighted towards defence and energy, while trade and investment have not reached their full potential relative to the political relationship.
The industrial exhibition provides an opportunity to broaden the economic foundation through greater engagement between companies, manufacturers, technology providers and investors.
The emphasis on industrial cooperation is significant because both countries are attempting to strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities and reduce vulnerabilities in global supply chains.
For India, Russian expertise in areas such as heavy engineering, energy, nuclear technology and advanced industrial systems can complement its own manufacturing ambitions.
For Russia, India represents a major and expanding market, as well as an important economic partner at a time when Moscow is seeking to diversify its external economic relationships.
Space and advanced technology
Space cooperation offers another avenue for the relationship to move into high-technology areas.
India and Russia have a long history of cooperation in space, including astronaut training and technical collaboration.
As India’s space sector becomes increasingly commercialised and private-sector participation expands, opportunities are emerging for a new generation of partnerships involving satellites, launch systems, space applications and advanced technologies.
The reference to space cooperation during the latest Modi-Putin meeting therefore reflects the attempt to ensure that the bilateral relationship remains relevant to India’s emerging technological priorities.
From buyer-seller relationship to broader partnership
Perhaps the most important long-term challenge for India-Russia relations is to transform the traditional buyer-seller model into a more balanced economic and technological partnership.
India’s defence-industrial ambitions require precisely such a transition.
Instead of simply importing finished platforms, New Delhi increasingly wants domestic production, local manufacturing, technology partnerships, joint ventures and greater participation by Indian private industry.
The same principle applies to other strategic sectors.
India wants access to international technology and resources while simultaneously developing indigenous capabilities. This approach does not imply disengagement from Russia; rather, it requires the relationship to evolve in ways that support India’s technological and industrial objectives.
The geopolitical value of strategic autonomy
The continuing engagement with Russia also fits into India’s larger doctrine of strategic autonomy.
New Delhi has resisted pressure to align completely with any one geopolitical bloc. It maintains close relationships with the US and Europe while simultaneously preserving its longstanding partnership with Russia and expanding engagement with countries across the Global South.
This multi-alignment approach gives India greater room to pursue its national interests in a fragmented international environment.
For Russia, India’s continued engagement is equally valuable. New Delhi is one of the major economies with which Moscow can maintain a high-level political relationship despite Western sanctions and geopolitical tensions.
The resilience of the partnership therefore serves the interests of both sides.
The road ahead
Putin’s invitation to Modi to visit Russia for the 24th India-Russia Annual Summit, which the Prime Minister accepted, provides the next major opportunity to translate the current political momentum into concrete outcomes.
The summit will be particularly important for reviewing progress in trade, investment, defence-industrial cooperation, energy, connectivity, space and emerging technologies.
The challenge will be to ensure that the political strength of the relationship is matched by a broader economic foundation.
India-Russia ties have survived major changes in the international system because they have repeatedly adapted to new circumstances. The relationship is now entering another such phase.
The traditional pillars – defence and energy – will remain important, but the next generation of the partnership is likely to depend increasingly on manufacturing, technology, investment, space, nuclear energy, connectivity, critical supply chains and cooperation in multilateral institutions.
The Modi-Putin meeting in New Delhi consequently carries significance beyond the immediate bilateral agenda. It signals that despite geopolitical turbulence, both countries continue to see value in maintaining a stable and diversified strategic partnership.
For India, the objective is not to choose between Russia and its other major partners, but to preserve the strategic space necessary to work with all of them in pursuit of national interests.
And for both New Delhi and Moscow, the resilience of their relationship may ultimately depend on how successfully they convert decades of political trust into a more diversified, technologically advanced and economically sustainable partnership for the next phase of global strategic competition.
