https://sputniknews.in/20250806/indo-russia-comprehensive-defence-agreement-a-grand-signal-to-the-us-9553809.html
Indo-Russia Comprehensive Defence Agreement: A Grand Signal to the US?
Indo-Russia Comprehensive Defence Agreement: A Grand Signal to the US?
Sputnik India
Amid friction between Washington and New Delhi, an Indo-Russian comprehensive defence agreement could alter the dynamics in South Asia, an expert told Sputnik... 06.08.2025, Sputnik India
2025-08-06T19:53+0530
2025-08-06T19:53+0530
2025-08-07T12:43+0530
sputnik opinion
vladimir putin
donald trump
india
russia
us
ministry of external affairs (mea)
indian navy
tariffs
su-57 fighter
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.in/img/07e9/03/05/8834364_0:0:3071:1727_1920x0_80_0_0_cd3e97f8f9448cc3f9289b0a385e9be8.jpg
A potential comprehensive defence agreement between India and Russia is now being discussed within the expert community, ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to New Delhi later this year.According to official statements, the draft agreement includes mutual deployments of military units, warships, and warplanes, and allows the armed forces of both strategic partners to access logistics and support facilities at each other's bases and ports.Interestingly, the support for a strategic military logistics pact with Russia comes amid mounting US pressure on India to sever its trade and defence ties with Moscow, This follows US President Donald Trump’s announcement of 25% tariffs on Indian exports and additional penalties if India does not halt its energy imports from Russia.India, though, has hit back at the US and Europe, highlighting that their imports from Russia were far greater than than those of India."India's imports are meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer. They are a necessity compelled by global market situation. However, it is revealing that the very nations criticising India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia. Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion," a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) read.It is very obvious that some of these developments (read US tariffs on Indian exports) were on the cards, particularly from the time India started negotiating a bilateral trade agreement with the US. Plus, more and more pressure was continuously applied on India, especially in the last few days ahead of the August 1 deadline and thereafter, Seshadri Vasan, a military expert and a former Indian Navy officer, told Sputnik India.The US has made unreasonable demands affecting India’s energy and national security, he said. Delays in F-404 engine supplies have hindered the Tejas squadron program, and Washington’s claims of mediating the India-Pakistan ceasefire have further strained relations, he explained.Therefore, the signing of a comprehensive defence agreement between India and Russia, which would allow both countries to make mutual deployments of military units, warships, and warplanes at each other's ports and bases, shouldn't come as a surprise, he added. After all, Russia always wanted India to be strong and become a military and economic superpower, the defence specialist stressed."The US, on the other hand, has never been supportive of India's aspirations. After the Pahalgam massacre and the subsequent Operation Sindoor, Washington has gone all out to court Pakistan, even inviting its Army chief, General Asim Munir, to the White House," he underscored, emphasising that this tells a lot about the US priorities when it comes to foreign partners. India already has a Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) with the US, and if India is looking at inking a similar pact with Russia, it is also a "signal to America that if it is trying to punish India for protecting its legitimate interests, then India is ready for the change amid the geopolitical maneuvering taking place on the planet at the moment, more so, when India has to protect its national interest," the strategic affairs commentator suggested.A Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics (RELOS) Agreement between India and Russia could alter the strategic situation in South Asia "because this may irk the US to an extent that the military cooperation between Washington and New Delhi could get suspended," Vasan noted. This would lead to greater cooperation between India and Russia, which would itself change the dynamics and equations in South Asia, he said. India will now work more closely with Russia to give a thrust to its military-industrial complex, focusing not only on its domestic security needs but on the export market, he reckoned.
https://sputniknews.in/20250805/russian-oil-imports-india-finally-draws-its-red-lines-with-the-us---experts-9552313.html
india
russia
us
washington d.c.
new delhi
delhi
moscow
south asia
pakistan
Sputnik India
feedback.hindi@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
2025
Pawan Atri
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.in/img/07e6/0c/13/139630_147:0:831:684_100x100_80_0_0_8fa2b25903e7787fe6a2698552c167df.png
Pawan Atri
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.in/img/07e6/0c/13/139630_147:0:831:684_100x100_80_0_0_8fa2b25903e7787fe6a2698552c167df.png
News
en_IN
Sputnik India
feedback.hindi@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
Sputnik India
feedback.hindi@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
Pawan Atri
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.in/img/07e6/0c/13/139630_147:0:831:684_100x100_80_0_0_8fa2b25903e7787fe6a2698552c167df.png
vladimir putin, donald trump, india, russia, us, ministry of external affairs (mea), indian navy, tariffs, su-57 fighter, su-57e, russian oil, washington d.c., new delhi, delhi, moscow, south asia, pakistan, operation sindoor, pahalgam terror attack
vladimir putin, donald trump, india, russia, us, ministry of external affairs (mea), indian navy, tariffs, su-57 fighter, su-57e, russian oil, washington d.c., new delhi, delhi, moscow, south asia, pakistan, operation sindoor, pahalgam terror attack
Indo-Russia Comprehensive Defence Agreement: A Grand Signal to the US?
19:53 06.08.2025 (Updated: 12:43 07.08.2025) Amid friction between Washington and New Delhi, an Indo-Russian comprehensive defence agreement could alter the dynamics in South Asia, an expert told Sputnik India.
A potential comprehensive defence agreement between India and Russia is now being discussed within the expert community, ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to New Delhi later this year.
According to official statements, the draft agreement includes mutual deployments of military units, warships, and warplanes, and allows the armed forces of both strategic partners to access logistics and support facilities at each other's bases and ports.
Interestingly, the support for a strategic military logistics pact with Russia comes amid mounting US pressure on India to sever its trade and defence ties with Moscow, This follows US President Donald Trump’s announcement of 25% tariffs on Indian exports and additional penalties if India does not halt its energy imports from Russia.
India, though, has hit back at the US and Europe, highlighting that their imports from Russia were
far greater than than those of India.
"India's imports are meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer. They are a necessity compelled by global market situation. However, it is revealing that the very nations criticising India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia. Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion," a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) read.
"The European Union in 2024 had a bilateral trade of €67.5 billion in goods with Russia. In addition, it had trade in services estimated at €17.2 billion in 2023. This is significantly more than India’s total trade with Russia that year or subsequently. European imports of LNG in 2024, in fact, reached a record 16.5mn tonnes, surpassing the last record of 15.21mn tonnes in 2022," the statement added.
It is very obvious that some of these developments (read US tariffs on Indian exports) were on the cards, particularly from the time India started negotiating a
bilateral trade agreement with the US. Plus, more and more pressure was continuously applied on India, especially in the last few days ahead of the August 1
deadline and thereafter,
Seshadri Vasan, a military expert and a former Indian Navy officer, told
Sputnik India.The US has made unreasonable demands affecting India’s energy and national security, he said. Delays in F-404 engine supplies have hindered the Tejas squadron program, and Washington’s claims of mediating the India-Pakistan ceasefire have further strained relations, he explained.
"However, India is not going to yield under this American pressure. On the contrary, these American moves may just push India closer to Russia. Through the years, Russia has proved that it is supportive of India's initiatives, with the 1971 war among the highlights of this relationship, when the erstwhile Soviet Union sided with India," Vasan highlighted.
Therefore, the signing of a comprehensive defence agreement between India and Russia, which would allow both countries to make mutual deployments of military units, warships, and warplanes at each other's ports and bases, shouldn't
come as a surprise, he added. After all, Russia always wanted India to be strong and become a military and economic superpower, the defence specialist stressed.
"The US, on the other hand, has never been supportive of India's aspirations. After the Pahalgam massacre and the subsequent Operation Sindoor, Washington has gone all out to court Pakistan, even inviting its Army chief, General Asim Munir, to the White House," he underscored, emphasising that this tells a lot about the US priorities when it comes to foreign partners.
"Also, the recently announced tariffs are intended to hurt India in a big way. But India hasn't buckled down under pressure, and possibly there could be repercussions because of the strong stand its leadership is taking, whether it is about its imports of crude or defence ties with Russia, or its association with BRICS. Additionally, this is a hint from India to the US that if Washington pushes India to the brink, then they are to be blamed and not New Delhi for rupturing this relationship between the two democracies," Vasan observed.
India already has a Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) with the US, and if India is looking at inking a similar pact with Russia, it is also a "signal to America that if it is trying to punish India for protecting its legitimate interests, then India is ready for the change amid the geopolitical maneuvering taking place on the planet at the moment, more so, when India has to protect its national interest," the strategic affairs commentator suggested.
A
Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics (RELOS) Agreement between India and Russia could alter the strategic situation in South Asia "because
this may irk the US to an extent that the military cooperation between Washington and New Delhi could get suspended," Vasan noted. This would lead to greater cooperation between India and Russia, which would itself change the dynamics and equations in South Asia, he said. India will now work more closely with Russia to give a thrust to its military-industrial complex, focusing not only on its domestic security needs but on the export market, he reckoned.
"Moreover, the acquisition of the Su-57s could be on the anvil, with India in desperate need to induct a stealth aircraft in its Air Force. With the American F-35 completely out of the race, the Felon could be the answer to India's strategic requirements," Vasan concluded.
