Question

Explain India’s relationship with Russia.

Answer 1

Hint:
 In a speech delivered in Russia by former Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, Russia and India had a strategic partnership on five key components: strategy, defence, civil nuclear energy, counter-terrorism cooperation, and space. A sixth economic aspect, however, has grown in importance in recent years, with both countries setting a target of reaching around 30 billion dollars in bilateral trade by 2025. In order to accomplish this aim, both countries are trying to create a free trade agreement.

Complete step by step solution:
The bilateral ties between India and Russia are Indo-Russian relations. There was a strong strategic, military, economic, and diplomatic relationship between India and the Soviet Union (USSR) during the Cold War. Russia inherited its close association with India after the collapse of the Soviet Union, which culminated in a special relationship shared by both nations. This relationship is both described by Russia and India as a 'special and privileged strategic partnership.'

Political Relations: The first major political initiative between India and Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union started with the “Strategic Partnership” signed between the two countries in the year 2000. Both countries work closely together at the UN, BRICS, G20, and SCO on topics of common national interest. Russia is also highly supportive of India having a permanent seat on the Security Council of the United Nations. The Indo-Russian Intergovernmental Commission (IRIGC) is the principal agency conducting government-level relations between the two countries.

Military Relations: For several decades, the Soviet Union has been a significant supplier of defence equipment, and the Russian Federation has inherited this position. Today, collaboration is not limited to a partnership between buyer and seller but involves joint research and development, training, service contacts, including joint exercises.

Economic Relations: Bilateral trade is concentrated between the two countries in key sectors of the value chain. Highly diversified industries include machinery, electronics, aerospace, automobiles, commercial shipping, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, clothing, precious stones, industrial metals, petroleum products, steel, high-end tea, and coffee products, among others.

Energy Sector: A significant field of Indo-Russian bilateral relations is the energy market. In 2001, ONGC-Videsh acquired a 20 percent stake in the Russian Federation's Sakhalin-I oil and gas project and invested billions in it. In the joint construction of a block in the Bay of Bengal, Gazprom, the Russian company, and the Gas Authority of India cooperated.

Space Cooperation: A long history of collaboration between the Soviet Union and India has traditionally existed in space. Aryabhata was the first satellite in India to be named after an Indian astronomer of the same name. It was introduced on 19 April 1975 by the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union also launched the first Indian to visit space, Rakesh Sharma. A joint lunar exploration mission proposed by ISRO and the Russian Space Agency (RKA) was Chandrayaan-2.

Note:
The Embassy of Russia in India is in New Delhi. The Indian Embassy in Russia is in Moscow.
This relationship is both described by Russia and India as a 'special and privileged strategic partnership.'