Both countries have excellent exchange dynamics at all levels, and, given the current difficult geopolitical situation, such cooperation becomes more significant, Singh said at a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Russia is a close friend and India values the special, privileged status of a strategic partnership with the country, the minister added.
On the same day, the Indian Defense Ministry noted that the parties discussed various issues related to defense cooperation and industrial partnership.
"They also discussed the Russian defence industry’s participation in the ‘Make in India’ initiative and ways to provide further impetus to it," the ministry said.
On Friday, a regular defense ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is taking place in the Indian capital, New Delhi.
The SCO is an international organization founded by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, and Uzbekistan in 2001. In 2017, India and Pakistan were also admitted to the organization. The SCO also has Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia as observer states, while Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey are partner countries. In July 2022, Belarus submitted its application to join the SCO as a full-fledged member.