India and Russia are transforming their long-standing defence partnership from a traditional buyer-seller model to a collaborative approach focused on joint research, development, and production of advanced military technologies. This shift was highlighted in a joint statement following the recent summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The leaders emphasized that this reorientation aligns with India’s goal of achieving self-reliance in defence production.

Both nations agreed to promote joint manufacturing in India for spare parts and components necessary for maintaining Russian-origin military equipment. This initiative will be part of the Make in India programme, which aims to enhance local production capabilities through technology transfer and the establishment of joint ventures. The collaboration is expected to not only meet the needs of the Indian armed forces but also facilitate exports to friendly nations.

During discussions, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart Andrei Belousov addressed India's plans to procure additional S-400 air defence systems and surface-to-air missiles worth Rs 10,000 crore. India is also exploring the acquisition of short-range Pantsir and Verba missile systems, along with R-37 air-to-air missiles for its Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets. The talks included the joint production of advanced BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, which will be adapted for lighter aircraft.

Modi and Putin expressed satisfaction with the ongoing military cooperation, including the Indra joint military exercises, and reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing military delegation exchanges. They also reiterated their strong stance against terrorism, condemning all acts of terrorism regardless of their motivations. The leaders called for decisive actions against UN-listed terrorist groups, emphasizing the need for global unity in combating terrorism.

The summit marked a significant step in solidifying the strategic partnership between India and Russia, with both leaders looking forward to further collaboration in various sectors, including defence, energy, and technology, as part of a broader economic cooperation programme extending to 2030.