Why Russia is here to stay, making India’s military stronger

Moscow and New Delhi are deepening defense ties, with a focus on technology transfer across aviation, naval, and missile platforms

The relationship between India and the Soviet Union – and later Russia – has been a cornerstone of India’s foreign policy since its independence in 1947. Rooted in mutual respect and shared interests, this partnership has evolved into one of the most enduring bilateral ties in modern history.

A pivotal moment in this relationship occurred in 1951 when the USSR exercised its veto power at the United Nations Security Council to support India in the Kashmir dispute. This set the tone for a consistent pattern of Soviet support. In 1959, during the border dispute between India and China and later the Sino-Indian War of 1962, the Soviet Union maintained a policy of neutrality, despite strong objections from China.

The economic and military cooperation between the USSR and India in the early days of its independence was particularly robust. By 1960, India had received more Soviet assistance than China, reflecting the depth of their partnership.

A landmark development in this collaboration came in 1962 when the Soviet Union agreed to transfer technology for the production of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter jet. This agreement not only marked a major step in India’s defense modernization but also underscored the Soviet Union’s trust in India as a strategic partner – a privilege it had previously denied to China. This helped India set up robust manufacturing base for vital defense platforms, including aircraft, aero-engines and avionics, laying the groundwork for India’s indigenous capabilities in advanced technology.

Russian jets built in India 

In December last year, just ahead of Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Moscow, the Defense Ministry and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), India’s state-owned Aerospace and Defense Company, signed a $1.5 billion contract for the procurement of 12 Sukhoi Su-30MKI aircraft along with associated equipment. The jet would have an indigenous content of 62.6% – a significant increase from earlier levels, achieved through a persistent policy to procure components locally. 

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The Su-30MKI is the India-specific variant of the Russian Su-30, which was inducted into the Indian Air Force in 2002. The twin-engine, air-superiority, multi-role, heavy, all-weather, long-range fighter aircraft has a take-off weight of 38,800kg and a payload capacity of over 8 tons, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and anti-ship missiles. The aircraft can carry ten indigenous Astra Mk1 class missiles.

The Su-30MKI has a range of 3,000km with internal fuel, which ensures a 3.75-hour combat mission. Also, it has an in-flight refueling (IFR) probe that retracts. The air refueling system increases the flight duration by up to 10 hours with a combat radius of 3,000km. Su-30MKIs can also use the Cobham 754 buddy refueling pods.

The aircraft features state-of-the-art avionics developed by Russia, India, and Israel for display, navigation, targeting, and electronic warfare. France and South Africa provided other avionics. It has abilities similar to the Sukhoi Su-35, which shares many features and components. Russia’s Defense Ministry was impressed with the type’s performance envelope and ordered 30 Su-30SMs, a localized Su-30MKI, for the Russian Air Force.

Make in India back in 1960s

India has been manufacturing the Su-30MKI since 2004 under a Russian license. As many as 222 aircraft have been produced at HAL’s Nashik factor up to now, and these jets will be the backbone of the IAF’s fighter fleet for some years to come (the force today operates a fleet of total 260 Su-30MKIs, and the 12 additional fighters ordered in December will make up for planes lost in accidents).

Indigenization was progressively increased with Indian content. HAL produced aircraft from scratch from 2013 onwards, and this includes the Lyulka-Saturn AL-31FP turbofan engines that power the aircraft. 

An estimated 920 AL-31FP turbofans were manufactured at HAL’s Koraput Division. Notably, in September last year, India’s MOD signed a $3.05 billion contract with HAL for 240 AL-31FP aero-engines for the IAF’s Su-30 fleet. HAL will supply 30 engines annually from the Koraput factory with deliveries expected to be completed in eight years.

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What often remain obscured is that the Nasik aircraft manufacturing division, where Su-30 MKIs are built, was set up in 1964 – with the support of the Soviet Union, as part of the MiG Complex.

It has previously built the MiG-21s, MiG-27s, and upgraded the MiG-21 ‘Bison’. It also carries out repairs and overhauls of many Russian fighter aircraft, and what is important in the context of “self-reliance” – it now has a production line for LCA Tejas Mk1A, India’s own multirole combat jet. 

This is why today, when India is rapidly expanding its defense capabilities with a focus on self-reliance under the Narendra Modi-led government’s “Make in India” strategy, Russia remains a key player – despite India expanding the list of its strategic partners to include the US and European countries. 

Approximately 60% of the Indian military’s hardware today remains of Russian origin, and military hardware supplies and more recently production joint ventures have been a key pillar of the defense ties going forward. 

Tanks, guns, frigates 

In 1965, Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) was set up at Avadi, Chennai, with Soviet assistance. HVF products included the Russian-designed T-72 Ajeya, and T-90 Bhishma tanks. In September 1965, the Soviet Union and India signed the first contract for the delivery of naval equipment that included four Project I641 diesel-electric submarines, five Project 159E corvettes and five Project 368P motorboats. The agreement also envisaged rendering Soviet technical assistance for the construction of a submarine naval base in Vishakhapatnam. 

In December 2024, Russia handed over the INS Tushil frigate to India, and another similar warship, INS Tamala, built at the Yantar Shipyard in Russia’s Kaliningrad is going through sea trials. Two more frigates are being constructed at the Goa Shipyard Ltd in India through technology transfer. 

Russia is reportedly expanding its shipbuilding cooperation with India, with two Indian shipyards being considered for construction of four non-nuclear icebreakers. Russian shipbuilding officials have offered New Delhi their nuclear-powered design for an Indian Navy aircraft carrier, according to India media. 

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Russian officials in 2023 announced that Goa Shipyard will also construct 24 river-sea class cargo ships for operation in the Caspian Sea by 2027. Cooperation with India in shipbuilding has its benefits for Moscow as the unit cost per vessel is projected to be half of what it would cost Russian shipbuilders. 

India and Russia have good success stories for Joint Ventures (JV). The BrahMos is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, and fighter aircraft. BrahMos Aerospace is a joint venture between the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya. The missiles are already being exported. 

Under an estimated $680 million deal signed in July 2021, over 610,000 AK-203 assault rifles are to be manufactured in India with technology transfer from Russia, by the joint venture company Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited. In May 2024, the first batch of 27,000 rifles was delivered while another batch of 8,000 was delivered in July 2024. The level of indigenous content achieved is already 25%, and going up rapidly. 

Notwithstanding the above, some JVs did not take off. India had withdrawn from the joint Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) due to technical reasons. Finally, Russia continued the project and today has a successful Sukhoi Su-57 ‘Felon’ fifth generation fighter. Russia is once again suggesting that India return to the project.

Following selection of the Ka-226T to meet an India requirement for 197 helicopters, an agreement was signed in December 2015 for the creation of a JV between Rostec, Russian Helicopters and HAL to build the helicopters at a new factory to be constructed at Tumakuru in India. The project did not take off, and later India decided to make its own Light Utility Helicopter based on the indigenous ‘Dhruv’ model.

Similarly the Indo-Russian program to develop a new Multi-role Transport Aircraft (MTA) for both the countries through a JV between Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation and India’s HAL was canceled by India.

Aiming for more

In the last two decades India did look for alternative military hardware sourcing from the US, France and Israel, among other countries. But invariably India went back to its time-tested strategic partner, Russia. India bought five batteries of the formidable S-400 air defense systems in 2017, ignoring an American threat to impose CAATSA sanctions.  

Most of the platforms bought from Western nations were also through government-to-government deals, as has been the case of all Soviet and later Russian deals. Despite promises, there has been very little technology in most deals with Western suppliers, while with Russia India did manage to get better technology transfer.

Going forward, India plans to begin upgrading its Su-30 MKI in India. Initially it will involve 84 aircraft, but subsequently the entire fleet will get upgraded. Sukhoi will also be involved in the project for the upgrade of fly-by-wire system. The jets will also be modified to fire BrahMos-ER missiles. 

There have been reports that negotiations are on between HAL and Russia for exporting Indian-produced Russia-supported Su-30MKIs to global customers. All this will require major Russian support.

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India is also in the process of procuring 21 additional MiG-29s from Russia, which would enable the replacement of earlier losses and raise another squadron. India earlier upgraded its MiG-29 and MiG-21 fleets with Russian support. 

As Russia seeks to circumvent US economic sanctions, more Russian companies are keen to establish production facilities in India.

Defense cooperation will remain an important pillar of the India-Russia strategic partnership guided by the IRIGC Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC), set up in 2000. The Agreement for 2021-2031 was signed during the inaugural meeting of the India-Russia 2+2 Dialogue which was held in Delhi in December 2021. This agreement guides further cooperation in the sphere of research and development, production and after sales support of armament systems and various military equipment. Uninterrupted supply of spare parts to the Soviet/Russian-origin equipment is a critical issue being discussed between the two countries.

Russia last year approved the long-delayed draft logistics agreement Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) that will facilitate military logistic exchanges for exercises, training, port calls, disaster relief, and ease access to Russian military facilities, especially in the Arctic. The agreement is expected to be signed soon. New Delhi has already entered into similar agreements with many countries, including all Quad partners.

Two Russian aircraft, the MiG-35 and Su-35S are competitors for India’s Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) contract, the tender for which is yet to be formally announced.

Russia’s Su-57 ‘Felon’ stealth fighter made its debut at the 2024 Zhuhai Airshow in China. Its appearance at Aero India 2025 next month would mark a significant diplomatic and strategic signal from Moscow. 

Russia can then pitch for it as an interim option, as the Indian project for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), a twin-engine, all-weather fifth-generation stealth jet, seems to be delayed. Russia could also bring the Tu-160M strategic bomber to the airshow if it wants to make a marketing push. For this time-tested partnership, the sky is the only limit.