TWTW Note

Photo Source: Reuters
   NIAS Course on Global Politics
National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS)
Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore
For any further information or to subscribe to GP alerts send an email to subachandran@nias.res.in

CWA # 1871
TWTW Note
President Putin's India Visit: Economic, Military, and Strategic Agreements

  Sunidhi Sampige & Tanvi Harendra
8 December 2025

What happened?
On 4 December, President Putin arrived in New Delhi, marking his first visit to India in four years. PM Narendra Modi greeted Putin personally upon his arrival. The two leaders met for a private dinner at the Prime Minister's residence.

On 5 December, Modi and Putin co-chaired the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, which aimed to strengthen economic, defence, and technology cooperation. On 2 December, the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian Parliament, provided its assent to the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistic Support (RELOS). The agreement, originally signed on 18 February 2025, contains procedures for dispatching Russian military formations, warships, and aircraft to India, as well as for managing mutual logistical support.

On 5 December, India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with her Russian counterpart Anton Siluanov to encourage Russia to increase imports from India and to promote Russian investment in India; also to develop projects in the energy sector, infrastructure, digital payment systems, and SMES, to achieve USD 100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030. The same day, India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart, Andrey Belousov, discussed increasing collaboration in the production and maintenance of military platforms, as well as expanding joint training and exercises. They also discussed how India and Russia could use the Logistic Support Agreement to improve the operations of their respective militaries, provide each other with access to bases and supplies during joint exercises and operations, and develop capabilities for planning support.

On 5 December, Russia and India signed multiple strategic and economic agreements. The new economic cooperation programme, covering trade and investment, will continue through to 2030 and form the foundation for an FTA with the Eurasian Economic Union. As part of the agreement, Russia promised to supply India with fuel continuously for an indefinite period. Both countries also agreed to deepen their energy and critical minerals relationship by developing small modular reactors and floating nuclear power plants, and by establishing shipping routes through the Arctic. In addition, Indian businesses reached an agreement with Russia's URALCHEM to build a urea production facility in Russia.

What is the background?
First, rekindling and strengthening of the bilateral relations. Since December 2021, Putin has not visited India; therefore, there have been no official meetings between the leaders during this period while Russia was engaged in military action in Ukraine and subject to increasing Western sanctions. Russia's invasion of Ukraine made India take a neutral approach to the situation. The current visit is aimed at reinvigorating the bilateral ties.

Second, the sanctions and the oil imports. Numerous European countries reduced their dependence on Russian oil and gas. Moscow began to look toward greater trade with East Asia, including China and India. India significantly increased its imports of Russian oil and gas at discounted rates, making Russia its largest energy supplier. India's inflation fell, and energy was secured; India provided Russia with an alternative market despite Western restrictions. 

Third, the pressure on India on its Russia relations. India was being pressured by the US and its allies to keep a distance from Russia, especially in the defence sector. The US has repeatedly raised the issue under CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries through Sanctions Act), which allows the imposition of sanctions on nations that enter into significant defence deals with Russia. India's purchase of the S-400 air defence system from Russia had attracted attention.

What does it mean?
Putin's visit to India has both symbolic and strategic relevance for both. For Russia, the visit is a diplomatic gesture that shows it still has strong global allies despite Western sanctions and isolation. The interaction with India contributes to Russia refuting the statement of total isolation on the international stage and strengthening its pivot towards Asia as a long-term strategic angle. For India, the visit is an indication of its current policy of strategic autonomy, and a reaffirmation that New Delhi will not succumb to external pressure to dictate its foreign policies.

Second, the evolving nature of the global order. As the level of great power rivalry increases, India is shaping itself to be capable of dealing with the other blocs, yet not necessarily taking a loyalty test to either of them. This gives India the ability to get economic advantage, ally with countries in defence, and increase its leverage on the international front.

About the authors
Sunidhi Sampige & Tanvi Harendra are Research Interns at NIAS.

Print Bookmark

PREVIOUS COMMENTS

This Week in History
August 2025 | CWA # 1801

R Preetha

28 August 1963
TWTW note
August 2025 | CWA # 1780

Abhiruchi Chowdhury

Trump tariffs:
This Week in History
August 2025 | CWA # 1778

Lekshmi MK

28 July 1914
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1694

Aashish Ganeshan

The US:
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1689

Padmashree Anandhan

Ukraine
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1688

Ayan Datta

Gaza
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1675

Lekshmi MK

Turkey:
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1673

Padmashree Anandhan

Ukraine:
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1667

R Preetha and Brighty Ann Sarah

East Asia:
NIAS Global Politics Database
March 2024 | CWA # 1251

NIAS Africa Team

Africa This Week
NIAS Global Politics Database
February 2024 | CWA # 1226

NIAS Africa Team

Africa This Week
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1189

Hoimi Mukherjee | Hoimi Mukherjee is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science in Bankura Zilla Saradamani Mahila Mahavidyapith.

Chile in 2023: Crises of Constitutionality
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1187

Aprajita Kashyap | Aprajita Kashyap is a faculty of Latin American Studies, School of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi.

Haiti in 2023: The Humanitarian Crisis
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1185

Binod Khanal | Binod Khanal is a Doctoral candidate at the Centre for European Studies, School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi.

The Baltic: Energy, Russia, NATO and China
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1183

Padmashree Anandhan | Padmashree Anandhan is a Research Associate at the School of Conflict and Security Studies, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangaluru.

Germany in 2023: Defence, Economy and Energy Triangle
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1178

​​​​​​​Ashok Alex Luke | Ashok Alex Luke is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science at CMS College, Kottayam.

China and South Asia in 2023: Advantage Beijing?
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1177

Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri | Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri is a postgraduate student at the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies at the University of Madras, Chennai.

China and East Asia
The War in Ukraine
October 2023 | CWA # 1091

Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri

Issues for Europe
IPRI Quarterly Forecasts I Triggers, Trends, and Trajectories
July 2023 | CWA # 1012

Bibhu Prasad Routray

Myanmar continues to burn
2022: The World This Year
December 2022 | CWA # 879

Padmashree Anandhan

The Ukraine War
Europe: Heatwaves, Wildfires, Droughts, and Ice Melt in Alps
November 2022 | CWA # 838

Rishma Banerjee

Tracing Europe's droughts
NIAS Africa Weekly
March 2022 | CWA # 705

NIAS Africa Team

In Focus: Libya
The World This Week: 150th Issue
December 2021 | CWA # 630

GP Team

Europe in 2021
Pakistan Reader
October 2021 | CWA # 588

Abigail Miriam Fernandez

TLP is back again
NIAS Fortnightly on Science, Technology & International Relations
August 2021 | CWA # 528

STIR Team

Space Tourism
Science, Technology and International Relations
September 2019 | CWA # 162

Lakshman Chakravarthy N

5G: A Primer
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 71

Mahesh Bhatta | Centre for South Asian Studies, Kathmandu

Nepal
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 70

Nasima Khatoon | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS

The Maldives
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 69

Harini Madhusudan | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS

India
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 68

Sourina Bej | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS

Bangladesh
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 67

Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS

Afghanistan