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    COVER STORY                                                       NOVEMBER 28, 2025        |  The Indian Eye                    8

                                                           INDIA–RUSSIA TIES

             New High as Moscow Offers Su-57

              Tech Transfer Ahead of Putin Visit

             Russia has signalled its strongest commitment in years to India’s defense and strategic needs and holding a
                      series of high-level meetings to boost cooperation across defense, trade and maritime security

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            velopment, shipbuilding and blue
                                                                                                                  economy projects were highlighted as
            Moscow / Dubai / New Delhi
                                                                                                                  emerging pillars of the partnership.
                  he diplomatic and defense cho-                                                                  Modi conveyed his greetings to Pres-
                  reography unfolding between                                                                     ident  Putin  and  said  he  looked  for-
            TIndia and Russia over the past                                                                       ward to hosting him in India.
            week marks a rare moment of align-                                                                        Together, these diplomatic move-
            ment, ambition and strategic clarity.                                                                 ments reflect a broader recalibration.
            From the Dubai Air Show to the cor-                                                                   India–Russia ties, long defined by de-
            ridors of the Kremlin, senior leaders                                                                 fense cooperation, are now widening
            and defense officials have signalled a                                                                into new fields: industrial manufactur-
            renewed commitment to deepening                                                                       ing, maritime capabilities, energy, blue
            a partnership that has shaped India’s                                                                 economy, and economic integration.
            security landscape for decades.                                                                           Jaishankar’s visit also had a sym-
                The most consequential an-                                                                        bolic component. He paid homage
            nouncement came from Sergey Che-                                                                      to Mahatma Gandhi in Moscow and
            mezov, CEO of Russia’s state-owned                                                                    inaugurated new Indian consulates in
            defense conglomerate Rostec, who                                                                      Yekaterinburg and Kazan — a major
            declared that Moscow is ready to sup-                                                                 expansion of India’s diplomatic foot-
            port “whatever India requires” — in-                                                                  print in Russia. The minister said the
            cluding an unprecedented offer of full                                                                new missions would boost trade, tour-
            technology transfer for the Su-57, Rus-                                                               ism, scientific and academic exchang-
            sia’s  fifth-generation  stealth  fighter.                                                            es and deepen people-to-people ties.
                Speaking to ANI in Dubai,                                                                             The timing of all this diplomacy
            Chemezov      underlined     the   External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar calls on Russian President Vladimir Putin, in Moscow   — just weeks before Putin lands in
            depth    of   the    relationship:                                                                    New Delhi — underscores how both
            “India and Russia have been part-                   on Tuesday (@DrSJaishankar X/ANI Photo)           countries are preparing for a summit
            ners for many years. Even when India                                                                  that could reset their partnership for
            was under sanctions, we supplied the   variant, reviving the shelved Fifth   Jaishankar and Manturov dis-  the next decade.
            country with weapons to ensure its se-  Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA)   cussed progress across trade, invest-  For India, the Su-57 offer is not
            curity… Today we continue the same   concept. According to the Russian   ment, energy, industrial collaboration   just a defense procurement option; it
            approach, supplying India with what-  side, all of India’s “demands and con-  and the implementation of decisions   is a signal of trust and strategic flex-
            ever military equipment it needs.”  cerns” about the aircraft have been   from the 26th Inter-Governmental   ibility at a time when global supply
                For New Delhi, long wary of re-  deemed “completely acceptable.”  Commission. In a post on X, the In-  chains are fractured and geopolitical
            stricted technology regimes imposed   This offer, if accepted, would   dian minister said it was a “pleasure”   blocks are hardening. For Russia,
            by Western suppliers, the Russian   represent one of the most ambitious   to meet Manturov and noted that   deepening ties with India strength-
            message is significant: no limitations   defense co-development projects in   both sides were aligned on next steps   ens its Asian outreach and balances
            and no political strings.         India’s history — ensuring local man-  ahead of the summit.         its foreign policy beyond China and
                A  senior Rosoboronexport rep-  ufacturing, long-term upgrade path-  The Russian Embassy in India   Europe.
            resentative went further, outlining a   ways and insulation from geopoliti-  said the meeting covered “priority   In  a  world  divided  by  conflicts,
            detailed proposal for India’s future   cally motivated sanctions.   sectors” and preparations for Pu-  sanctions  and  shifting  alliances,  the
            air combat roadmap. Moscow is of-     The renewed defense pitch     tin’s visit, emphasizing the expanding   events of the past week show that
            fering the Su-57 manufactured in   comes as External Affairs Minister S.   scope of cooperation.      New Delhi and Moscow remain
            Russia initially, followed by a phased   Jaishankar  concluded  a  high-profile   Back in New Delhi, Prime Min-  committed to a partnership built on
            shift of production to India — along   visit to Moscow, where he met Pres-  ister Narendra Modi received Ni-  continuity, pragmatism and strategic
            with transfer  of  advanced  technolo-  ident Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey   kolai  Patrushev,  Putin’s  close  aide   autonomy.
            gies such as engines, low observable   Lavrov, and Deputy Prime Minister   and Chairman of the MariFTheir   As the Air Show announcements
            materials, AESA radar, optical sys-  Denis Manturov. The meetings re-  discussions focused on the maritime   merge with high-level diplomatic
            tems, AI elements and next-genera-  viewed preparations for the upcom-  domain — an area both sides increas-  engagements, India–Russia ties ap-
            tion weapons.                     ing India–Russia Annual Summit in   ingly view as central to future coop-  pear poised for a major leap — one
                Crucially, Russia has also agreed   New Delhi next month — the first in   eration.                anchored in technology, trust and a
            to jointly develop a two-seat Su-57E   two years.                       Connectivity corridors, skill de-  shared vision for the future.

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