Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are holding bilateral talks in New Delhi ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit, with defence cooperation, trade, energy and technology expected to dominate the agenda.
Putin arrived in the national capital on Friday for a three-day visit to attend the BRICS summit, which will be held at Bharat Mandapam on September 12 and 13. The Russian president is also scheduled to participate in the BRICS Business Forum and visit the INNOPROM exhibition with Modi.
Su-57 Proposal Could Be Key Defence Focus
One of the most closely watched issues is Russia's proposal to sell India its Su-57 fifth-generation fighter aircraft and deepen cooperation around domestic production and technology.
The Su-57 is Russia's fifth-generation stealth fighter, designed with reduced radar detectability and advanced avionics and weapons capabilities. However, reports about discussions around the aircraft should not be interpreted as confirmation that India has agreed to purchase or manufacture the fighter. (Financial Times)
Russia has been pitching the Su-57 to India as part of a broader effort to move the bilateral defence relationship towards greater technology cooperation and local manufacturing.
S-400 Delivery and BrahMos Upgrade Also on Agenda
The two leaders are also expected to discuss the remaining phase of India's S-400 air-defence system deliveries.
The next-generation BrahMos programme is another important area of cooperation. India and Russia are considering upgrades to the missile system, with discussions also focusing on deeper joint development and production.
The proposed BrahMos-NG is expected to be lighter than the existing BrahMos and could expand the missile's integration options across Indian combat aircraft.
Defence Relationship Moving Beyond Buyer-Seller Model
The talks come as New Delhi and Moscow seek to deepen their long-standing strategic partnership.
Indian and Russian officials have increasingly emphasised joint production, technology cooperation and industrial partnerships rather than a relationship based only on India's purchase of Russian military equipment.
The possible Su-57 cooperation and BrahMos upgrades fit into this broader direction, although the final terms of any agreement will depend on negotiations.
Trade Target of $100 Billion by 2030
Economic cooperation is expected to be another major component of the Modi-Putin discussions.
India and Russia have set an objective of taking bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030. The two sides are also looking at improving market access for Indian companies in Russia, strengthening investment links and expanding cooperation in energy and other sectors.
Areas expected to receive attention include nuclear energy, transport, industrial cooperation, critical minerals and the movement of skilled Indian workers to Russia.
Nuclear Energy and New Projects
Civil nuclear cooperation is another important part of the relationship.
Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom has been involved in India's Kudankulam nuclear power project, and the two countries are exploring possibilities for further nuclear cooperation, including additional power-generation capacity.
Russian officials have also indicated that discussions on new nuclear plants are expected as part of the wider bilateral engagement.
Rupee-Rouble Trade and Connectivity
Payment mechanisms are likely to feature in the economic discussions as India and Russia seek ways to facilitate bilateral trade using national currencies.
The two countries are also interested in improving transport connectivity. The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the proposed Chennai-Vladivostok maritime route are among the connectivity initiatives that could help reduce logistical barriers to India-Russia trade.
A Significant Meeting Ahead of BRICS Summit
The Modi-Putin meeting comes just weeks after the two leaders held talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. At that meeting, they reviewed cooperation across defence, energy, space, transport and other sectors.
The latest meeting therefore provides another opportunity for the two sides to take stock of their strategic partnership at a time of major geopolitical and economic uncertainty.
The immediate focus will be on whether the talks produce concrete movement on defence proposals such as the Su-57, the remaining S-400 delivery and BrahMos development, while simultaneously giving fresh momentum to the India-Russia trade and energy relationship.
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