ALBAWABA- Russia and India sealed 16 wide-ranging agreements on Friday as President Vladimir Putin wrapped up a two-day state visit to New Delhi, marking the 23rd Annual India–Russia Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The pacts, spanning defense co-production, energy, trade, healthcare, academics, culture, and media, reinforced the resilience of a partnership navigating Western sanctions and global geopolitical turbulence.
In joint remarks, Putin pledged “uninterrupted fuel shipments” to India despite U.S. pressure and recent American tariffs targeting Indian goods over its purchases of discounted Russian crude. Bilateral trade has already exceeded $65 billion annually, driven largely by hydrocarbons.
At the heart of the summit was a new economic cooperation roadmap through 2030, aiming to push annual trade to $100 billion by expanding collaboration into critical minerals, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, and shipping.
Additional agreements advance civil nuclear projects, boost labor mobility, expand port access, and strengthen maritime cooperation. Both sides also reiterated their commitment to fast-tracking a free trade agreement with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union.
Modi described the India–Russia relationship as a “pole star” guiding both nations through decades of global upheaval, calling energy security a “pillar” of the partnership. He reaffirmed mutual backing for each country’s UN Security Council bids and stressed joint efforts against terrorism amid recent regional attacks.
A joint statement titled “India–Russia: Enduring and Expanding Partnership” framed the summit as a clear signal of New Delhi’s strategic autonomy at a time of intensifying U.S. pressure.
