India and Russia Cement Strategic Partnership at New Delhi Summit

Following the 23rd annual summit held in New Delhi on December 5, 2025, the Russian Federation and India reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral ties. This commitment was formalized through the signing of sixteen crucial agreements. These documents span significant areas of cooperation, including defense, trade, economics, healthcare, and cultural and academic exchanges.

A key initiative aimed at bolstering people-to-people connections involves India’s official confirmation of plans to introduce a free 30-day electronic tourist visa for Russian citizens. Furthermore, a 30-day Group Tourist Visa is set to be implemented, with processing times anticipated to be as short as 30 days. This move directly supports the shared objective, articulated in the leaders' joint statement, of strengthening the bonds between the two nations.

The high-level discussions, featuring Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, underscored a steadfast adherence to the strategic trajectory established by the 2000 Declaration on Strategic Partnership, which marks its 25th anniversary this year. Both leaders stressed the importance of achieving the ambitious target of $100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030. Prime Minister Modi expressed strong confidence that this milestone could potentially be reached ahead of schedule. For context, mutual trade reached $70.6 billion in the last fiscal year ending March 2025, according to India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry, a substantial leap from the approximately $8 billion recorded in 2020.

The economic agenda was further detailed in the Program for the Development of Strategic Directions for Russian-Indian Economic Cooperation through 2030. A central component of this program is the acceleration of negotiations concerning a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Additionally, an agreement focused on labor mobility was executed, designed to streamline professional exchanges and facilitate temporary employment opportunities.

Beyond energy partnerships, the nations agreed to diversify their collaboration by jointly manufacturing components for the maintenance of Russian weaponry under the 'Make in India' initiative, which includes provisions for technology transfer. Significant progress was also noted in the financial sector regarding the transition to settlements in national currencies, which now account for 96% of mutual trade. On global security matters, the leaders jointly condemned the terrorist attack that occurred on April 22, 2025, in Pagham, Jammu and Kashmir, reinforcing their shared stance on international stability.

Russia reiterated its support for India’s bid to secure a permanent seat on a reformed United Nations Security Council and emphasized the vital role of cooperation within the BRICS framework. Further agreements were finalized to advance logistics infrastructure, notably concerning the International North-South Transport Corridor. In the realm of e-commerce, Russia Post and India Post have committed to establishing the necessary infrastructure for cross-border trade, anticipating a 20% rise in express shipments from India to Russia during 2025 compared to the preceding year.