Moscow and New Delhi see eye to eye on many global issues, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The summit concluded with the signing of a package of agreements in several areas, including a military-technical cooperation program through 2031. A Joint Statement called "Partnership for Peace, Progress, and Prosperity" was also adopted at the summit's conclusion. According to experts interviewed by Izvestia, Russian-Indian bilateral dialogue is progressing on a positive, although the bilateral agenda has a few bumps along the way.
Cooperation in space and civil nuclear energy, in particular, is growing, according to Modi. Military contacts are also gaining traction, as can be seen with joint drills between the two countries' armed services being performed on a regular basis. India’s military forces are 60-70% outfitted with Russian equipment, according to Russian Ambassador to India Nikolay Kudashev. Moscow began delivering its S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems to India in November, following a $5 bln contract inked in 2018.
"There is competition for the Indian military equipment market. But Russia has a strong position here, and I hope that it will continue," Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council Andrey Kortunov told Izvestia. According to the expert, India is on par with China in the current National Security Strategy, and both countries are a top priority for Moscow.
Russia and India have plans in store that aim to help build up economic ties, the newspaper writes. Moscow and New Delhi have designed a strategy to strengthen commercial ties. In a joint statement, the parties emphasized the need to start negotiations on a free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and India. The Modi administration also reiterated its commitment to expanding commerce and investment in Russia's Far East.
At the same time, experts say the start of the 2+2 meetings (between the foreign policy and defense chiefs) allay fears that India is leaning toward the United States. "The shift of India and Russia to the '2+2' arrangement implies that Moscow is no less vital a partner for New Delhi than Washington," Head of the Group on South Asia and Indian Ocean at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations Alexey Kupriyanov told Izvestia.
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