Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov met with Indian leaders to discuss strengthening bilateral ties in key sectors amidst the escalating conflict in West Asia.
Hyderabad-based Nexon Geochem has partnered with Russia's Giredmet to establish integrated rare-earth processing and downstream facilities in India. This collaboration aims to bridge critical gaps in India's rare earth value chain, focusing on producing NdFeB permanent magnets essential for electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defence systems, reducing reliance on imports.
Putin's State visit will centre on fixing the huge India-Russia trade imbalance, with both sides pushing to lower duties, ease non-tariff barriers, and seal a landmark mobility pact to send more Indian workers to Russia.
Russia, being bogged down by the Ukraine war and prioritising the requirements of its own armed forces, along with India's consistent diversification policy, will remain a major challenge to the bilateral partnership, note Harsh V Pant and Aleksei Zakharov.
India significantly increased its crude oil imports from Russia and the United Arab Emirates in June, securing supplies as the Strait of Hormuz began to reopen, with Russian barrels remaining attractive due to discounts and UAE supplies offsetting earlier uncertainties.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow would not interfere in the "delicate" bilateral relations between India and China, expressing confidence in their ability to resolve border disputes amicably. He also discussed Russia's independent partnerships with both nations, touched upon India-Pakistan ties, and highlighted ongoing and proposed defence cooperation with India, including the BrahMos missile and a potential Su-57 fighter jet project.
US President Donald Trump described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as 'a Great One', while Russia hailed him as the 'doyen of all Indian prime ministers' as world leaders congratulated him on becoming India's longest continuously serving elected representative at the top post.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has suspended Russia's membership for up to three years due to its failure to comply with a ruling to stop holding events in Russian-controlled Ukrainian territories. This decision follows Russia's continued organisation of chess events in annexed regions, violating a Court of Arbitration for Sport order.
Athletics bodies of India and Russia are exploring a long-term cooperation in organising training camps, grassroots development works and mutual participation of their players in their respective competitions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered New Delhi Russia's fifth-generation stealth aircraft Sukhoi Su-57 and even suggested that the combat jet could even be jointly produced in India in line with the strong strategic partnership between the two countries.
India and Russia are expected to sign a bilateral mobility agreement during President Vladimir Putin's visit to New Delhi, establishing a framework for legal migration, worker protection, and expansion of skilled Indian manpower in Russia.
India and Russia have called for an uncompromising global fight against terrorism without hidden agendas and double standards. Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that the menace is a direct attack on the values of humanity.
US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent ally of former President Donald Trump and an influential voice on American foreign policy, has passed away at 71 following a 'brief and sudden illness', leaving a significant void in Washington's political landscape.
It is an unusual choice to depute a retired general for the funeral of a revered religious figure but a thoughtful one in an attempt to inject verve into the bilateral relationship and restore the equilibrium in India's West Asian policies, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Amidst global energy market volatility driven by the West Asia crisis, Russia has proposed increasing its crude oil and natural gas supplies to India, strengthening bilateral energy ties and aiming for USD 100 billion in annual trade by 2030.
India and Russia are expected to unveil a major nuclear energy partnership during Vladimir Putin's visit, potentially involving Russian small modular reactors and expanded cooperation as India pushes toward its 100-GW nuclear goal by 2047.
Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted that any attempts to undermine India's sovereignty through 'threats of sanctions' would 'boomerang immediately' under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, highlighting India's sovereign decision-making and strong national interests.
In the context of India's energy ties with Russia, Putin said certain "actors" dislike New Delhi's growing role in international markets in view of its close relations with Moscow and these elements are aiming to constrain India's influence for political reasons by imposing "artificial obstacles".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted Russian President Vladimir Putin on his birthday and conveyed that he was looking forward to welcoming him in India for the upcoming India-Russia annual summit.
India has once again topped the Athletics Integrity Unit's global list of dope offenders with 162 names, highlighting a significant doping problem in the country's sporting landscape. This led to the Athletics Federation of India being re-categorised to 'Category A' due to high doping risk, requiring more stringent testing.
The India U17 women's team concluded their series of friendlies in Sochi with a third defeat to Russia, losing 3-0. This series was part of their preparation for the upcoming AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2026.
India is expected to receive the fourth unit of the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile system from Russia in the first part of next month, further enhancing the IAF's air defence mechanism.
India continues to lead the Athletics Integrity Unit's (AIU) global list of dope offenders with 162 names, highlighting a significant problem in the country's sports. The nation has been re-categorised to 'Category A' by the AIU, indicating an "extremely high" doping risk and requiring more stringent anti-doping measures.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has denied signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Russian athletics federation, amidst ongoing sanctions and the conflict in Ukraine.
India joined Russia, China, and other nations in opposing the deployment of foreign military infrastructure in Afghanistan during 'Moscow Format' talks. The discussions focused on bringing prosperity and development to Afghanistan, with participants emphasizing the need to eliminate terrorism and integrate Afghanistan into regional connectivity.
'ISRO is planning to build a Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2030. So, our goal is to create a vehicle that can supply modules to the Bharatiya Antariksh Station and bring the products back.'
India is navigating a complex diplomatic landscape, attempting to balance its 'forever honeymoon' with the Israel-UAE-Bahrain axis against its historical ties with Iran, as evidenced by recent high-level visits and evolving geopolitical realignments in the Middle East, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The India U-17 women's team suffered a 0-3 defeat against Russia in their second friendly match in Sochi, Russia, as part of their preparations for the upcoming AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup in China.
Not a single retail outlet ran dry. Every household that wanted a cylinder got one. India faced neither a 1991 moment nor a 2013 one. Macroeconomic stability held. This was not an accident, and it was not luck alone. It was the work of a government that chose to act as it had during the pandemic -- deliberately and gradually, building one measure upon another rather than reaching for a single dramatic lever, explains V Anantha Nageswaran, chief economic advisor to the Government of India.
A Chinese official stated that India and China should view each other as cooperative partners and opportunities for development, not rivals or threats. This statement came in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's comments on the independent and strong ties Russia maintains with both nations, emphasising non-interference in India-China relations.
In an official statement, the embassy criticised remarks by the Russian foreign ministry, alleging that Moscow was attempting to manipulate information and interfere in India's internal processes.
The United States has announced it will not renew sanctions exemptions for the purchase of Russian and Iranian oil, ending a 30-day waiver that allowed some countries, including India, to continue importing Russian oil despite sanctions related to the Ukraine war.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has strongly defended India's decision to purchase Russian crude oil, stating that the country's energy choices are based on cost and availability, and highlighting the West's 'hypocrisy' in criticising India while historically supplying weapons used against it.
India's crude oil imports from Russia reached a record high of approximately 2.73 million barrels per day (mbpd) in June, driven by discounts of $2-5 a barrel. This surge comes as the West Asia crisis disrupted supplies from traditional sources and China reduced its own purchases, leading Russia to offer more favourable terms to India.
Russia has a "special mechanism" to confront any challenge arising out of the US slapping punitive measures against India for its procurement of Russian crude oil, Russian charge d'affaires Roman Babushkin said on Wednesday.
A new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) indicates that India has expanded its nuclear arsenal and is developing long-range weapons capable of reaching targets across China, while also maintaining focus on its rivalry with Pakistan.
Successful interceptor, anti-ship, MIRV and hypersonic technology tests have strengthened India's position among a select group of advanced missile powers.
India is increasingly focusing on long-range weapons capable of reaching targets across China.
One key development is the direct cargo connection between Chennai and Vladivostok, a crucial Russian port on the Northern Sea Route.
The Indian Under-17 women's football team will play three friendly matches against Russia in Sochi from April 11 to 17 as part of their preparations for the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup.
