Russia has agreed to support India in boosting domestic production of military equipment, including key hardware and spare parts needed for the upkeep of Russian-origin defence systems.
The commitment came during the summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, where strengthening defence ties was a central theme.
For years, the Indian armed forces have flagged delays in receiving critical spares from Russia — a problem that has often slowed maintenance and operational readiness of platforms sourced from Moscow.
According to a joint statement, "Both sides agreed to encourage joint manufacturing in India of spare parts, components, aggregates and other products for maintenance of Russian origin arms and defence equipment under Make-in-India programme through transfer of technology."
The statement further noted that both countries would work toward establishing joint ventures aimed at addressing the requirements of the Indian military and enabling exports to friendly third nations. It added that the India-Russia defence partnership is undergoing a shift towards joint development and production of sophisticated defence technologies.
The momentum for deeper cooperation was also visible during Thursday’s meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov, where the two reaffirmed plans to broaden defence collaboration. India, during the talks, conveyed interest in acquiring additional S-400 missile system units to enhance its air defence capabilities.
New Delhi had previously sealed a USD 5 billion agreement with Moscow in October 2018 to procure five S-400 units, even as Washington cautioned that the deal could trigger sanctions under CAATSA. Three squadrons have since been delivered, and the S-400 systems were notably deployed during Operation Sindoor. India is also weighing the possibility of seeking S-500 systems in the future.
Beyond defence, Modi and Putin also reviewed bilateral economic systems. The leaders agreed to push ahead with mechanisms for trade settlements using national currencies and to continue consultations on linking national payment systems, financial messaging structures, and digital currency platforms.
The joint statement said both leaders welcomed the growing work on a Free Trade Agreement between India and the Eurasian Economic Union, instructing negotiators to accelerate progress. They also called for faster movement on a mutually beneficial investment protection pact.
In the field of agriculture, the two nations highlighted steps being taken to secure long-term fertiliser supplies for India and explored opportunities for setting up joint ventures in the sector.