India is an ‘exceptionally important’ partner – Russian defense minister

Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has stressed the importance of the Russia-India partnership, noting that Moscow’s long-term friendship with New Delhi extends into the military-technical sector.

Belousov held talks with his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Qingdao, China on Thursday.

“India is an exceptionally important strategic partner for us, a traditional friend – including in the military and military-technical spheres,” Belousov said at the meeting. Singh stated: “We had insightful deliberations on boosting India-Russia defense ties.”  

India’s military currently relies heavily on Russian-origin equipment, with around 60% of its arsenal being of Russian make. During the recent conflict with Pakistan, the effectiveness of India’s air defenses was bolstered by the Russian-made S-400 mobile surface-to-air missile systems, which was recently highlighted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who praised its performance during the standoff. 

New Delhi, however, has been pushing to indigenize its defense sector, under the ‘Make in India’ initiative led by Modi. Russian defense companies have taken part in a number of joint ventures in India over the last two decades. BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles are manufactured by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, and have been in service in the Indian Armed Forces since June 2007.

Last month, India inaugurated a new production unit for the BrahMos missile in Uttar Pradesh. According to Defense Ministry officials, this facility will enable India to boost its defense stockpiles, which is crucial given the current volatile security environment. 

New Delhi’s long-standing defense ties with Moscow have irked Washington. Earlier this month, US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said India’s relations with Russia are a point of contention in its relationship with the US, especially with the increasing sanctions on Russian entities. During the meeting on Thursday with Singh in Qingdao, Belousov expressed his condolences over the recent crash of an Air India aircraft, which killed 270 people. The Russian defense minister conveyed words of sympathy and support to the families and loved ones of the victims.