This article covers the political relationship between India and Russia: the strategic partnership framework, the dialogue mechanisms, the Annual Summits, contacts between leaders, ministers and officials, parliamentary exchanges and cooperation in multilateral bodies. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) brief on India-Russia relations of June 2026, which is dated 19 June 2026.

The strategic partnership

According to the MEA brief of June 2026, Russia has been "a longstanding and time-tested partner for India", and the development of India-Russia relations has been "a key pillar of India's foreign policy". The brief states that since the signing of the "Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership" in October 2000, ties have acquired a qualitatively new character, with enhanced cooperation in almost all areas. It lists political, security, defence, trade and economy, science and technology, culture and people-to-people ties.

During the visit of the Russian President to India in December 2010, the Strategic Partnership was elevated to the level of a "Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership". In its concluding section, the brief says the relationship "has remained strong and stable over the past 79 years" and calls the partnership "among the steadiest in the contemporary era". It refers to a shared commitment to a multipolar world and to expanding engagement beyond the traditional military, nuclear and space cooperation.

Dialogue mechanisms

Under the Strategic Partnership, several institutionalised dialogue mechanisms operate at political and official levels to ensure regular interaction and follow-up. The India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission (IRIGC) has two divisions:

  • the Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation division (IRIGC-TEC), which the brief says is co-chaired by External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S Jaishankar and First Deputy Prime Minister (First DPM) Mr. Denis Manturov
  • the Military & Military-Technical Cooperation division (IRIGC-M&MTC), headed by the Defence Ministers of the two countries

In December 2021, the first 2+2 Dialogue of the Foreign and Defence Ministers of both countries took place alongside the Summit-level talks between the Prime Minister and President Putin. The brief describes this as a new dimension to bilateral cooperation.

Annual Summits

The Annual Summit between the Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation is the highest institutionalised dialogue mechanism in the partnership. As of the brief, 23 Annual Summits have taken place, alternately in India and Russia.

The most recent Summit was held in New Delhi during President Putin's state visit to India from 4-5 December 2025. A Joint Statement titled "India-Russia: A Time-Tested Progressive Partnership, Anchored in Trust & Mutual Respect" was adopted. A total of 21 Announcements were made, including the signing of 16 MoUs/Agreements in fields such as Mobility, Fertilizers, Health, Food Safety, Maritime Cooperation, Customs, Commerce, and Academic and Media Collaboration.

The brief, dated June 2026, states that President Putin is expected to travel to New Delhi this year for the BRICS Summit in September. The Prime Minister met President Putin on the margins of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on 11 September 2026, after an earlier meeting in Bishkek on 31 August 2026. President Putin invited the Prime Minister to Russia for the 24th India-Russia Annual Summit.

Contacts between the leaders

The leaders also keep in regular contact by telephone. The brief records these conversations:

  • 5 May 2025: after the Pahalgam terror attack, both leaders reaffirmed their determination to further strengthen cooperation in the fight against all forms and manifestations of terrorism.
  • 8 and 18 August 2025: President Putin briefed the Prime Minister on the latest developments concerning Ukraine in the context of the US-Russia Summit in Alaska.
  • 17 September 2025: President Putin spoke with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday. According to the brief, he emphasised that under the Prime Minister's leadership India is pursuing an independent, sovereign policy while demonstrating impressive economic results.
  • 7 October 2025: the Prime Minister spoke with President Putin and congratulated him on his 73rd birthday.

Ministerial contacts

EAM and Foreign Minister (FM) Sergey Lavrov met on 13 May 2026, when Mr. Lavrov visited India for the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting, and had held a telephone conversation on 11 March 2026. In 2025 they met six times: on 20 February in Johannesburg, 7 July in Rio de Janeiro, 15 July in Tianjin, 21 August in Moscow, 27 September in New York and 17 November in Moscow.

In August 2025, EAM visited Moscow, where he called on President Putin, met FM Lavrov and co-chaired a session of the IRIGC-TEC with First DPM Manturov. During a visit to Russia on 17-19 November 2025 for the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting, EAM again called on President Putin, took part in the SCO CHG meeting and met FM Lavrov and First DPM Manturov.

Security contacts

NSA Shri Ajit Doval visited Moscow on 27-29 May 2026 to attend the first International Security Forum. He held talks with Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Shoigu, Aide to President Putin Nikolai Patrushev and First DPM Manturov.

Mr. Patrushev had visited India from 17-19 November 2025 for Russia-India consultations on maritime cooperation and on naval cooperation. He called on the Prime Minister and met the NSA, the Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, and other senior officials. The brief states that Mr. Shoigu is expected to visit India for the BRICS NSAs' meeting on 22-23 June 2026.

Consultations between officials

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held bilateral Foreign Office Consultations with his Russian counterpart, Deputy Foreign Minister (DFM) Andrey Rudenko, in New Delhi on 31 March 2026. In March 2026, Secretary (West) Sibi George met DFM Alexander Alimov in New Delhi for the seventh India-Russia Consultations on UN Matters. On 23 April 2026, DFM Georgy Borisenko visited India to attend a BRICS MENA meeting and called on EAM.

In December 2024, the then Secretary (West) Tanmaya Lal visited Moscow and met DFM Sergey Vershinin for the sixth India-Russia Consultations on UN Matters and the 13th India-Russia Working Group meeting on Counter Terrorism. The 14th meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism took place on 08 July 2026 in New Delhi, co-chaired by Secretary (West) Sibi George and Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Lyubinsky.

Parliamentary cooperation

The Inter-Parliamentary Commission between the Lok Sabha and the Russian State Duma is co-chaired by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairperson of the State Duma. It has met five times since its inception: in 2000, 2003, 2015, 2017 and 2018. The 5th India-Russia Inter Parliamentary Commission was held in India on 9 December 2018.

In February 2026, Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla constituted the India-Russia Parliamentary Friendship Group, headed by MP Shri Nishikant Dubey. A Russian parliamentary delegation led by Vladimir Yakushev, First Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council and Head of its Friendship Group for cooperation with India, visited India from 2-3 April 2026. The delegation met the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Shri Harivansh Narayan Singh.

Chairman of the State Duma Mr. Vyacheslav Volodin paid an official visit to India from 2-4 February 2025. He called on the President and Vice President, held a bilateral meeting with the Lok Sabha Speaker, and his delegation attended the 2025 budget session of both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha. In July 2024, the Lok Sabha Speaker led the Indian delegation to the 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Saint Petersburg and met Chairman Volodin and the Speaker of the Russian Federation Council, Ms. Valentina Matvienko.

The brief also records these parliamentary contacts:

  • 22-24 May 2025: in the context of the Pahalgam terror attack and India's Operation Sindoor, an all-party delegation led by Ms. Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, comprising 5 MPs and senior diplomat Ambassador Manjeev Puri, visited Russia to project India's united resolve and zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism.
  • 21-26 June 2025: Dr. Shashi Tharoor, MP Lok Sabha, on a personal visit, met Konstantin Kosachev (Deputy Chairman of Federal Council) and Leonid Slutsky (Chairman of State Duma Committee on International Affairs).
  • 29-30 October: MPs Shri Rajkumar Chahar and Dr. C.N. Manjunath of the Lok Sabha and Dr. V. Sivadasan of the Rajya Sabha took part in meetings of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly Standing Committee on Social and Cultural Affairs in Moscow.

Multilateral cooperation

India and Russia cooperate at several multilateral platforms, including the UN, G20, BRICS and SCO. The brief states that this cooperation was strengthened through regular exchanges and mutual support during India's Presidencies of the G20 and SCO in 2023 and Russia's BRICS Presidency in 2024. It adds that Russia has consistently expressed support for India's candidature for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

The Prime Minister led the Indian delegation at the XVII BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), the 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg (South Africa) and the 2025 SCO Summit in Tianjin (China).