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No defence deal, India and Russia agree to boost manufacture of spare parts

The move, under the Make-in-India programme, will involve technology transfer and the setting up of joint ventures to meet the needs of the Indian Armed Forces and enable exports to mutually friendly third countries.

2 min readNew DelhiDec 6, 2025 04:06 AM IST

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Russian President Vladimir Putin departs, Friday. (X/@MEAIndia)

India and Russia on Friday agreed to promote joint manufacturing in India of spare parts, components and aggregates for the upkeep of Russian-origin arms and defence equipment.

The move, under the Make-in-India programme, will involve technology transfer and the setting up of joint ventures to meet the needs of the Indian Armed Forces and enable exports to mutually friendly third countries.

The announcement was part of a joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Despite defence ties being a key focus, no new defence deal was announced in the joint statement.

The Modi-Putin talks followed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s meeting with Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov on Thursday, where the two discussed ways to expand defence cooperation, including India’s plans to procure additional S-400 missile system batches and other replenishments for Soviet-era platforms still in service.

The statement said both leaders welcomed the outcomes of the 22nd session of the India–Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation. “Responding to India’s quest for self-reliance, the partnership is reorienting towards joint R&D, co-development and co-production of advanced defence technologies and systems,” it noted.

On Thursday, Singh and Belousov discussed deepening defence cooperation through joint development and production of advanced systems, replenishment supplies, training activities and other ongoing programmes. They also reviewed India’s planned procurements from Russia, including additional S-400 units—which played a key role during Operation Sindoor—and equipment needed for maintaining Russian-origin systems, which make up a large share of India’s military inventory.

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India has diversified its military acquisitions in recent years with procurements from France, the US and other partners. Meanwhile, discussions continue on upgrading BrahMos missiles with extended ranges, acquiring long-range missiles for Su-30MKI and MiG-29 fighters, and jointly manufacturing selected smaller military equipment with Russia.

Amrita Nayak Dutta

Amrita Nayak Dutta writes on defence and national security as part of the national bureau of The Indian Express. In the past, Amrita has extensively reported on the media industry and broadcasting matters, urban affairs, bureaucracy and government policies. In the last 14 years of her career, she has worked in newspapers as well as in the online media space and is well versed with the functioning of both newsrooms. Amrita has worked in the northeast, Mumbai and Delhi. She has travelled extensively across the country, including in far-flung border areas, to bring detailed reports from the ground and has written investigative reports on media and defence. She has been working for The Indian Express since January 2023. ... Read More

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