India and Russia are set to deepen defence ties through technology sharing, joint production and advanced weapons development, with BrahMos modernisation and Su-57 technology transfer highlighting a shift toward stronger defence industrial cooperation and greater localisation under Make in India.
India and Russia are moving towards a deeper defence partnership. The focus is shifting beyond conventional arms purchases. Both sides are exploring technology sharing and joint production. Advanced weapons development is also gaining greater importance.
The evolving partnership comes amid renewed high-level engagement. Russian President Vladimir Putin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The leaders exchanged a handshake and warm embrace. Their meeting took place ahead of the BRICS summit. The interaction drew attention to bilateral strategic ties.
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal also highlighted the meeting. He described it as a growing bond on social media. The engagement reflected the continuing importance of bilateral relations. It also came as defence cooperation enters a new phase.
According to a report by South China Morning Post (SCMP), India and Russia are discussing wider defence cooperation. The discussions include joint production and technology transfer. They also include export-oriented weapons development.
India has long relied on Russia for military equipment. Russian systems have formed a major part of India’s arsenal. These supplies have included tanks and fighter aircraft.
Missiles and other defence platforms have also been supplied.
However, India’s defence procurement strategy has changed. New Delhi has sought to diversify its supply chains. India has also expanded defence ties with other countries.
France, the United States and Israel are among them.
The shift gained importance after Russia’s war with Ukraine. Western sanctions affected Russia’s access to advanced components. They also affected some defence supply chains.
These challenges created complications for Russian defence exports.
Former Indian diplomat Srikumar Menon discussed the development. He spoke to SCMP about the changing bilateral partnership. He pointed to BrahMos missile modernisation as one example. He also highlighted Russia’s Su-57 technology transfer offer.
Menon said the developments showed greater partnership maturity. He also described growing strategic depth between both countries. The focus is now extending beyond equipment purchases. Technology cooperation is becoming a central area.
The partnership also aligns with India’s Make in India programme. The programme began in 2014 and promotes local manufacturing. Defence cooperation with Russia has increasingly followed this approach. Joint production can support greater domestic industrial capacity.
BrahMos has become a major example of this cooperation. India and Russia jointly developed the supersonic cruise missile. The missile can travel at about three times sound speed. It can operate from several different platforms.
BrahMos can be launched from land-based systems. It can also operate from naval platforms. Air-launched and submarine-launched capabilities are also being developed.
Its export record has expanded the partnership’s global dimension.
The Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam have signed acquisition agreements. Malaysia has also shown interest in the missile system. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim discussed the matter publicly. He said Kuala Lumpur was exploring possible cooperation.
The export potential gives BrahMos greater strategic importance. It also provides a platform for industrial cooperation. Future variants could expand India’s defence export capabilities. They could also deepen technology cooperation with Russia.
Indic Researchers Forum Director Srinivaasan Balakrishnan also commented. He said no advanced BrahMos agreement was announced then. However, the meeting raised the project’s political priority. The next-generation BrahMos programme was already under development.
Several proposed BrahMos upgrades are under discussion. One involves a smaller and lighter missile variant. The variant could be integrated with India’s Tejas fighter.
Another proposed version would be submarine-launched.
A hypersonic BrahMos version is also being considered. Such a missile could travel at five times sound speed. These developments could expand the missile’s operational applications. They could also strengthen India’s domestic defence capabilities.
Balakrishnan called for a broader approach to cooperation. He argued for joint development of future weapons systems. This would go beyond producing existing Russian-origin systems. Technology sharing would become more important in that model.
India and Russia have also set ambitious trade targets. The two countries aim for $100 billion by 2030. Current bilateral trade stands at around $60 billion. Defence cooperation remains an important part of the relationship.
The emerging model could therefore reshape defence ties. It combines manufacturing, technology and weapons development. It also places greater emphasis on Indian localisation. Export opportunities could become another important component.
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For New Delhi, technology access remains a key consideration. For Moscow, deeper industrial ties offer new opportunities. The partnership could also support wider defence exports. Future cooperation will depend on specific agreements and implementation.
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The BrahMos programme remains a prominent example. Its development has already moved beyond simple arms sales. Further cooperation could expand that model into new systems. The proposed projects could determine the partnership’s next phase.
