India and Russia have a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership since 2010
India and Russia are set to expand the scope of their joint military exercises with top officials deciding to increase the level of operational synergy between their respective armed forces.

The fourth meeting of the Working Group on Military Cooperation under the India – Russia Inter- Governmental Commission on Military and Military-Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC) held in Moscow marked a significant milestone in advancing the long standing Strategic Partnership between the two countries, India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on Thursday (November 28, 2024).

“The Working Group emphasised the importance of continued knowledge-sharing and collaboration in areas of strategic interest. It also agreed upon expanding joint exercises to further solidify the operational synergy between the two forces,” a statement issued by the MoD said.

India and Russia participate in a range of joint military exercises across domains, including INDRA (land), AVIA INDRA (air), and INDRA NAVY (sea). Over the years, these exercises have served as vital platforms for sharing best practices; refining joint operational tactics, drills and procedures; and deepening mutual understanding.

The meeting was co-chaired by Lieutenant General JP Mathew, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff representing India and Lieutenant General Dylevsky Igor Nikolaevich, Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Armed Forces.

Robust India-Russia Defence Cooperation 
Defence cooperation is an important pillar of the India-Russia relationship, which was upgraded from a Strategic Partnership to a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership in 2010.

The two sides have an institutionalised structure to oversee the complete range of issues of military technical cooperation. The India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military & Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC), headed by the Defence Ministers of the two countries, is at the apex of this structure. The Working Group is a crucial forum for India-Russia defence cooperation and provides a platform to assess existing military engagements and identify new areas for collaboration to address evolving security challenges. 
 
The two Defence Ministers meet annually, alternately in Russia and India, to discuss and review the status of ongoing projects and other issues of military technical cooperation. Russia is also among a select group of countries with which India has a 2+2 Dialogue attended by foreign ministers and defence ministers from both sides. 
 
Over the years, cooperation in the military technical sphere has evolved from a purely buyer-seller relationship to joint research, design development and production of state-of-the-art military platforms. Production of the Brahmos cruise missile is an example of this trend. Another joint venture, the Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), produces the AK-203 rifles in India under the 'Make in India' initiative.