Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the India-Russia friendship as “higher than the highest mountain and deeper than the deepest ocean” during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday. Singh’s remarks came after co-chairing the 21st session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Cooperation with Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov.
The leaders expressed confidence that the strategic partnership between India and Russia has immense potential, with their combined efforts expected to yield remarkable outcomes, as per an Indian readout of the meeting. Singh conveyed India’s strong commitment to supporting Russia, affirming that the two nations have always stood by each other.
During his meeting with President Putin, Singh extended warm greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reaffirming India’s enduring ties with Russia. Singh’s visit to Russia follows Prime Minister Modi’s recent trip to Moscow, where both nations committed to expanding their defence and military collaboration.
Singh’s three-day visit, which began on Sunday, comes five months after Prime Minister Modi’s summit with Putin. Both sides pledged to enhance defence cooperation, and the upcoming visit of President Putin to India next year will further strengthen these relations.
A key highlight of Singh’s talks with Russian officials was the urgent push for the expedited delivery of the remaining two units of the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems. Singh emphasized the importance of enhancing India’s defence capabilities through closer collaboration with Russia, particularly in joint production of military hardware.
“India’s defence industry is determined to extend its capabilities across various domains, and we look forward to continued industrial collaboration with Russia,” Singh remarked during the meeting.
Singh’s visit also included the commissioning of a Russian-made guided missile frigate into the Indian Navy at Russia’s coastal city of Kaliningrad, underscoring the strong defence ties between the two nations.
This marks another step in the deepening of India-Russia relations, particularly in the defence sector, which has been a cornerstone of their special and privileged strategic partnership.