Moscow and New Delhi to discuss defense partnership

India’s defense minister has arrived in Russia for talks and to commission a frigate built for the Indian Navy

A high-profile military delegation from India led by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh is visiting Russia for the next three days for talks on the entire range of issues between the two countries in the field of defense, including military-to-military and industrial cooperation, New Delhi has said in a statement.

During the visit, Singh will co-chair the 21st meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) in Moscow on December 10, 2024, along with his counterpart, Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov. “The two leaders will also exchange views on contemporary regional and global issues of mutual interest,” the statement said.

As part of the visit, Singh, along with the Indian Navy chief, Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, will also commission the latest multi-role stealth guided missile frigate, INS Tushil, built at Russia’s Yantra Shipyard in Kaliningrad. The ceremony will be held on Monday. 

The INS Tushil is the first warship to be commissioned as part of a deal signed between New Delhi and Moscow in 2018. According to the agreement, India will acquire two frigates directly from Russia while another two will be made at the state-run Goa Shipyard using Russian technology. The Yantar Shipyard, which constructed INS Tushil, previously built three Talwar-class frigates currently in service with the Indian Navy. These new vessels incorporate India-specific communication systems and weaponry, reflecting India’s focus on enhancing its naval capabilities.

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Indian and Russian military officials are expected to review the defense ties, including ongoing prospective joint venture projects, supplies of spare parts for India’s fleet of Russian-origin warplanes and warships, and deliveries of two remaining S-400 Triumph missile defense systems that were delayed due to multiple factors, according to military and diplomatic sources. India Today reported on Saturday that New Delhi has urged Moscow to expedite pending deliveries of the S-400 systems.

The defense minister’s visit comes ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s planned trip to the South Asian nation next year. Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed last week that details of the trip, including the dates, are to be finalized through diplomatic channels. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has formally invited President Putin to India, and dates for the visit will be established early in 2025.

Russia remains India’s largest defense supplier, although the South Asian country is actively diversifying its military import sources and technological partnerships, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The BrahMos missiles, co-developed by India and Russia, have become a staple of the Indian Armed Forces and a significant export item for New Delhi. Earlier this year, the Philippines received a batch of the missiles worth $375 million, with other nations such as Thailand, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia are reportedly interested in acquiring the supersonic weapons. 

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Earlier this year, Russia approved a draft of the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement, a mutual defense logistics pact designed to enhance interoperability between the Russian and Indian armed forces during military exercises and humanitarian or disaster relief deployments.