India, Russia Reaffirm Defence Partnership at 22nd Inter-Governmental Commission Meeting in New Delhi
India and Russia reaffirm defence partnership at the 22nd IRIGC meeting in New Delhi, focusing on advanced technologies and deeper military cooperation.
In a significant boost to their long-standing strategic partnership, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and Russia’s Defence Minister Andrei Belousov co-chaired the 22nd India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC) in New Delhi today.
Both leaders emphasized that the defence relationship between the two nations continues to rest on mutual trust, shared priorities and decades of cooperation.
Focus on Advanced Defence Technologies
During the meeting, Rajnath Singh highlighted emerging opportunities for deepening defence collaboration, particularly in:
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Next-generation military platforms
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High-end defence technologies
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Joint research and development
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Production partnerships under Aatmanirbhar Bharat
He underlined India’s strong push toward self-reliance in defence manufacturing and welcomed greater industry-to-industry linkages.
Russia Backs India’s Defence Manufacturing Ambitions
Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov assured that the Russian defence industry is fully prepared to support India in expanding its indigenous defence capabilities.
This includes potential cooperation in:
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Defence production
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Technology transfer
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Maintenance and lifecycle support
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Joint development programs
Belousov reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to being a long-term partner as India strengthens its domestic defence ecosystem.
Protocol Signed to Advance New Avenues of Cooperation
Both Ministers signed a protocol of the 22nd IRIGC meeting, which documents:
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Ongoing defence cooperation projects
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Proposed future collaborations
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Roadmaps for enhancing military-technical engagement
The protocol reflects the shared objective of keeping bilateral defence ties robust, future-ready, and technologically advanced.