India and Russia expand strategic cooperation as Moscow opens its Far East and Arctic regions for Indian trade and investment. Modi and Putin reaffirm connectivity, security, and counter-terrorism partnerships during the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit in New Delhi.
Russia has formally opened its vast Far East and strategically critical Arctic region for deeper trade, investment, and connectivity cooperation with India, marking a major expansion of bilateral economic and geopolitical engagement. The development was confirmed in a joint statement released on Friday following the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit in New Delhi.
The announcement signals a renewed push to enhance India’s economic footprint in resource-rich and infrastructure-heavy zones of Russia, while also strengthening the long-standing Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two nations.
A New Framework for India–Russia Economic Cooperation
According to the joint statement, India and Russia have expressed readiness to intensify cooperation across the Russian Far East and the Arctic zone. The centrepiece of this initiative is the Programme of India-Russia Cooperation in Trade, Economic and Investment Spheres in the Russian Far East for 2024–2029.
The programme establishes a long-term framework to facilitate partnerships in key sectors such as:
Agriculture
Energy and petroleum
Mining and critical minerals
Manpower and labour mobility
Pharmaceuticals
Diamonds and gemstone processing
Maritime transport and shipping
Russia emphasised its appreciation for India’s increasing interest in the region, a territory rich in natural resources and strategically located near major shipping lanes. India, in turn, reaffirmed that engagement with the Far East aligns with its Act Far East Policy, unveiled during PM Modi’s 2019 Vladivostok visit.
Arctic Engagement and Northern Sea Route Cooperation
The two sides also highlighted the importance of expanding cooperation in the Arctic, a region gaining global significance due to emerging shipping routes and resource accessibility. Russia welcomed India’s participation in the 6th International Arctic Forum held in Murmansk in March 2025.
India reiterated readiness to actively participate as an observer in the Arctic Council, signalling a growing interest in scientific research, polar technology, and Arctic resource studies.
Both partners acknowledged major progress in their collaboration on the Northern Sea Route, a shipping lane that can significantly reduce transit time between Asia and Europe. They also welcomed a new MoU on training specialists for vessels operating in polar waters, which will help India strengthen its maritime capabilities in icy environments.
Boost to Global Connectivity: INSTC and Chennai–Vladivostok Corridor
Transport and logistics integration featured prominently in the summit discussions. India and Russia agreed to deepen cooperation in building stable, efficient transport corridors, especially those connecting India with Eurasia.
Key corridors highlighted include:
International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)
Chennai–Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor
Northern Sea Route
The two leaders stressed the need to expand logistics linkages, improve connectivity infrastructure, and modernise transport systems to enhance bilateral trade flows. They also noted strong cooperation between Indian and Russian railways aimed at joint technology development and knowledge sharing.
Commitment to a Rule-Based Multilateral Trade System
Both nations underscored the importance of maintaining an open, transparent, inclusive, and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core. They recognised that removing tariff and non-tariff barriers, addressing logistics bottlenecks, strengthening payment channels, and resolving insurance and reinsurance issues will be crucial to meeting the revised bilateral trade target of USD 100 billion by 2030.
Regular interaction between businesses of both countries will also play a vital role in achieving this goal.
Modi and Putin Reaffirm Strong Joint Commitment to Counter Terrorism
Beyond trade and investment, the summit also spotlighted shared security concerns, particularly the rising global threat of terrorism. Prime Minister Modi and President Putin reaffirmed their zero-tolerance approach to terrorism and reiterated the need for concerted global action.
In the joint statement, both sides said they were committed to:
Strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation against terrorism
Countering extremism, transnational organised crime, and money laundering
Blocking terrorist financing networks
Eliminating terrorist safe havens
Preventing cross-border movement of terrorists
They condemned the April 22, 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, and the March 22, 2024 attack at Crocus City Hall in Moscow, calling both incidents “criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of motivation.”
India and Russia urged the firm implementation of UN Security Council and UN General Assembly resolutions related to counter-terrorism and stressed the need for the long-pending adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).
Focus on Afghanistan and Regional Stability
The two nations appreciated their close coordination on issues related to Afghanistan, including ongoing consultations between their National Security Councils. They noted the importance of the Moscow Format meetings and welcomed counter-terrorism actions against ISIS, ISKP, and other extremist organisations active in the region.
Modi and Putin also stressed the importance of ensuring urgent humanitarian assistance for the Afghan people, while calling for effective measures to curb terrorist activities emanating from Afghan soil.
Strengthening a Long-Standing Strategic Partnership
Earlier in the day, PM Modi and President Putin held wide-ranging discussions at Hyderabad House, reviewing all dimensions of the India–Russia relationship. Both reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, particularly in defense, energy, space cooperation, nuclear power, education, and industrial collaboration.
Several bilateral agreements and MoUs were exchanged during the summit, covering:
Trade and commerce
Migration and mobility
Maritime cooperation
Health and food safety
Fertilisers
Academic and cultural exchanges
Media cooperation
People-to-people ties
The summit reaffirmed that India and Russia remain key strategic partners in a rapidly changing global landscape, with both nations committed to developing long-term cooperation in trade, security, and global governance.
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