A six-member Russian Navy delegation led by Captain 1st Rank Sergei V Saitov visited Southern Naval Command and Indian Naval Academy in Kerala, focusing on training, maritime cooperation, interoperability and strengthening longstanding India-Russia defence ties.
A six-member delegation of the Russian Navy, led by Captain 1st Rank Sergei V Saitov, visited the Southern Naval Command and the Indian Naval Academy in Kerala as part of efforts to strengthen maritime cooperation and deepen professional and institutional ties between the Indian and Russian navies.
The Russian Navy delegation was in India from September 27 to October 1. During the visit, the delegation familiarised itself with the Indian Navy’s overall training architecture, infrastructure and facilities, according to the Indian Navy.
The Indian Navy shared details of the visit on social media platform X on Saturday, highlighting discussions between the two sides on areas of mutual interest and opportunities for further naval cooperation.
“Discussions explored avenues to deepen maritime cooperation, enhance interoperability and further consolidate institutional and professional linkages,” the Indian Navy said in its post, describing the engagement as a reflection of the enduring naval partnership between India and Russia.
The visit to the Southern Naval Command and the Indian Naval Academy provided the Russian delegation an opportunity to gain an understanding of India’s naval training systems and institutional framework. The engagement also focused on strengthening professional exchanges and improving interoperability between the two maritime forces.
The latest naval engagement comes amid continued efforts by India and Russia to maintain and expand their longstanding defence and strategic partnership. Cooperation between the two countries includes regular military exchanges, training interactions and institutional engagements across different branches of their armed forces.
The broader India-Russia strategic relationship was also reaffirmed during a recent meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York. According to Russia’s Foreign Ministry, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the “special and privileged” Russia-India Strategic Partnership and maintaining close coordination at international forums, including the United Nations, G20 and BRICS.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a post on X that the ministers discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation and coordination at multilateral platforms. Jaishankar also said that the two ministers exchanged views on several ongoing issues and reviewed bilateral and BRICS cooperation.
The latest naval delegation visit follows another significant military engagement between India and Russia. Last month, Indian Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth concluded a three-day official visit to Russia, marking the first visit by an Indian Army Chief to the country in eight years.
During his visit, General Seth held meetings with senior Russian military leaders, including Russia’s Deputy Minister of Defence General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov and Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Land Forces Colonel General Andrei Mordvichev.
According to the Indian Army’s Additional Directorate of Public Information, discussions during the visit covered joint capability development, training exchanges, operational experience and opportunities to expand Army-to-Army cooperation.
General Seth also received a ceremonial Guard of Honour and paid homage at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow. He visited the Russian Land Forces Headquarters, where discussions focused on deepening military cooperation, expanding training engagements and strengthening capability development between the two armies.
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The successive engagements involving the Indian Navy and Indian Army underline the continuing institutional and professional exchanges between India and Russia across defence sectors. The Russian Navy delegation’s visit to Kerala has further added to these ongoing maritime and military interactions, with training cooperation, interoperability and professional linkages remaining key areas of engagement.
