Russian President Vladimir Putin declared on Tuesday that Moscow seeks to raise its strategic partnership with India and China to a “qualitatively new level” through deeper technological collaboration across multiple sectors. Speaking at an investment forum in Moscow, Putin highlighted ongoing joint ventures in energy, industry, space, and agriculture as the foundation for this elevated cooperation with both New Delhi and Beijing.

The Russian leader will arrive in New Delhi on December 4–5 for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, where he will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Putin confirmed that expanding Indian exports to Russia and intensifying bilateral economic engagement will be central to the discussions, building on the substantive economic dialogue he already maintains with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov revealed that defence cooperation will dominate the summit agenda, with the possible sale of additional S-400 Triumf long-range air defence systems and the advanced Su-57 fifth-generation stealth fighter squarely on the table. Describing the Su-57 as “the best plane in the world,” Peskov emphasised Russia’s readiness to transfer high-end military technology, citing the highly successful BrahMos supersonic cruise missile programme as a model of deep technological partnership.

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Nuclear energy is expected to feature prominently as well, with Russia set to offer India its latest small modular reactor technology. Peskov underlined Moscow’s decades-long role in building India’s peaceful nuclear sector, particularly at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, and expressed confidence that new agreements on small, flexible reactors and joint investments will be reached during the visit.

With Russian systems already comprising approximately 36 per cent of the Indian armed forces’ inventory, the upcoming summit is poised to further cement the strategic defence and energy ties between the two nations, potentially reshaping regional power dynamics through unprecedented military and technological collaboration.

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