At least six executives from major Indian defense companies, including Adani Defence and Bharat Forge, visited Russia this year. This marked the first trip of Indian defense leaders to Russia since the war in Ukraine began in 2022. The purpose was to explore potential partnerships. As India seeks to revamp its long-standing defense relationship with Russia, focus has shifted toward developing weapons together.
Indian defense ties with Russia, which account for around 36% of its military, have been seen as hurdles in securing Western military tech. Western diplomats have raised concerns over this reliance, fearing it could impact collaboration with Western firms.
The talks occurred during a visit from October 29-30 led by India’s Defense Production Secretary, Sanjeev Kumar. This trip was meant to set the stage for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to India in December.
While spokespeople from Adani and Bharat Forge denied any involvement in the meetings, sources confirmed discussions about producing spare parts for the Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jet and other Russian weapon systems. There’s also been talk of establishing production facilities in India to support equipment development for export back to Russia.
Historically, Russia has been India’s primary arms supplier. During previous meetings, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to joint development and manufacturing of advanced defense technology to bolster India’s self-reliance.
The delegation consisted of representatives from various Indian defense firms, including both public entities and startups focusing on military applications of drones and artificial intelligence. Notably, executives from Kalyani Group and Adani Defence and Aerospace attended to explore collaboration on components for Russian-origin tanks and helicopters.
However, the landscape for these partnerships is complicated by concerns over sanctions. A subsidiary of Bharat Forge faced scrutiny in 2024 for allegedly exporting artillery shells to Europe, with some diverted to Ukraine, which led to diplomatic tensions with Russia. As a result, many Indian firms now weigh the risks associated with new deals with Russia, considering the implications of secondary sanctions. Although India’s diplomatic efforts might help mitigate these risks, executives remain cautious about potential political fallout.
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India-Russia ties,India-Russia bilateral trade,India-Russia defence talks,India-Russia joint ventures,India-Russia defence partnerships
