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Russia and India have agreed a new defence logistics deal that aims to enhance coordination in exercises, disaster relief, and other joint operations, the Russian Ministry of Defence has announced. The Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) was signed following a meeting between Russian Deputy Defense Minister Colonel-General Alexander Fomin and India’s ambassador to Russia, Vinay Kumar.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense stated that both sides emphasized the importance of the agreement in advancing military cooperation and reiterated their commitment to strengthening defence ties, saying that “The parties noted the importance of the signed document for further interaction in the military sphere and confirmed their focus on consistently strengthening cooperation in the spirit of a particularly privileged strategic partnership.”
The pact is expected to enhance interoperability between the armed forces of both countries, particularly in military exercises and humanitarian or disaster relief operations. Agreements of this kind expand the geographic opportunities for peacetime operations for all participating parties. It is possible that the provisions of this agreement will apply to joint exercises in the Arctic, as India ships LNG from the Yamal Peninsula.
Russia and India have maintained close defence ties for decades. Moscow remains New Delhi’s largest defence supplier, although the India is diversifying its military import sources and technological partnerships. For example, it has Joint Ventures, also with Russia in the production of the Su-57 jet fighter and Brahmos cruise missiles, which India also exports.
Russia has been a long-term supplier and technological partner for some of New Delhi’s most advanced systems, with about 60% of the Indian military’s hardware being of Russian origin.
In December, a high-profile military delegation from India led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Russia for high-level talks. Singh was received by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin. During the meeting, the Indian defence minister noted that “despite the geopolitical challenges and immense public and private pressure, India has made a conscious decision to not only continue close contacts with Russia but also to deepen and expand our cooperation.”
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