The logistics pact is aimed at streamlining bilateral drills and rescue efforts
Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, has ratified an agreement on military cooperation with India ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the country later this week.
The pact was ratified at a plenary session of the State Duma on Tuesday.
The treaty, which is aimed at streamlining bilateral armed forces drills, rescue and humanitarian efforts, will allow Russia and India to legally deploy troops and equipment to each other’s soil.
Putin will be making his tenth visit to India on December 4-5.
During the trip, his first to the South Asian country since 2021, the Russian president is expected to discuss a range of bilateral issues with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
❗️Russian Duma Ratifies India Defence Treaty For Troop Deployment – Chairman Volodin
The treaty will allow both sides to legally deploy troops and equipment to each other’s soil, and also covers joint exercises, disaster relief and humanitarian missions. pic.twitter.com/iiQQRbrxRe
Defense cooperation between India and Russia is likely to be high on the agenda during the visit. New Delhi and Moscow have partnered in the defense sector since the early 1960s.
India has encouraged defense firms from friendly countries, including Russia, to work with domestic arms manufacturers to bolster Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.
“This visit is of great importance, providing an opportunity to comprehensively discuss the extensive agenda of Russian-Indian relations of a special privileged strategic partnership in political, trade-economic, scientific-technological, and cultural-humanitarian fields, as well as to consider current international and regional issues,” the Kremlin said in a statement last week.
Modi and Putin last met at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the Chinese city of Tianjin in September.
India’s Defense Ministry is seeking to buy 300 missiles for its Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile systems to replenish stocks after its confrontation with Pakistan in May.
New Delhi sees Russian missile technology as key to maintaining an airpower balance with its neighbors.
