Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held extensive discussions to strengthen bilateral trade, defence, and energy cooperation, while also addressing the ongoing Ukraine conflict and exploring avenues for peace and resolution, with Modi reiterating India's call for dialogue and diplomacy.
The move is meant to enhance the operational capability of the armed forces, reduce import dependence and increase domestic value addition.
One of the important topics of discussion between the two leaders is expected to be the Northern Sea Route and the Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in India for a three-day visit to attend the BRICS summit and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on expanding trade, investment, and energy cooperation amidst global geopolitical challenges.
In a significant development, the Russian side has submitted a detailed proposal to the Defence Ministry in response to the Indian tender for acquiring five more squadrons of the S-400 Sudarshan long-range air defence systems for the Indian Air Force.
Russian air defences reportedly intercepted and destroyed 250 Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow over the weekend, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. The drone attack led to temporary curtailment of operations at major airports in the capital.
Ahead of President Vladimir Putin's visit to India for the BRICS summit, Russia has expressed support for New Delhi's peace initiatives to resolve the Ukraine conflict. Discussions between Putin and PM Modi will cover defence, energy, technology, and the repatriation of Indian nationals from the Russian military, alongside addressing trade and investment ties.
US President Donald Trump is expected to sign the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 later on Friday (local time). A White House official confirmed the development to ANI without revealing further details.
'It is a blunt and dangerous attempt to pressure India to sign BTA on one-sided terms.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to move from 'endless war to the end of war' in Ukraine, emphasising that a peaceful resolution is humanity's shared priority.
British armed forces, including Royal Marine Commandos, intercepted the Russian shadow fleet oil tanker SMYRTOS in the English Channel, marking the UK's first such operation. The action aims to disrupt Russia's funding for its war in Ukraine, with the UK government highlighting the shadow fleet's role in sustaining Moscow's military efforts.
The defence ministryh has "initiated efforts" to join the sixth-generation fighter aircraft development programme, Future Combat Air System (FCAS), spearheaded by the French government, and sought from it the roadmap to acquire such aircraft, a parliamentary panel has said.
Pakistan is reportedly pursuing Chinese J-35 stealth fighters while China already operates hundreds of J-20 stealth aircraft.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday discussed with a group of senior ministers the prevailing global security situation and how to maintain supply chain uninterrupted despite conflicts in different zones, including the Strait of Hormuz, the Black Sea, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.
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.
In Operation Sindoor, Pakistan had deployed additional squadrons of the Chinese-origin HQ-9 air defence systems, which could not do much against the Indian aircraft when they brought down multiple terror targets inside Pakistan.
India's defence sector is on the cusp of a 'super cycle' of growth, driven by escalating geopolitical conflicts and a strong policy push towards indigenous manufacturing, with major players like BEL, HAL, and BDL poised for significant order inflows and technological advancements.
Ukraine's capital Kyiv came under a large-scale missile and drone attack overnight on December 27, with multiple explosions reported across the city and surrounding regions, one day ahead of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as diplomatic efforts continue to end the four-year-long war.
Russian air defence units reportedly destroyed 28 Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow, marking the second consecutive day of such incidents. Airport operations were temporarily suspended due to the drone attacks.
Following the seizure, Moscow issued a strong condemnation asserting that no country has the right to use force against vessels lawfully registered under another state's jurisdiction, particularly on the high seas.
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.
The ministry of defence of the United Arab Emirates on Monday said its air defence systems successfully intercepted multiple aerial threats launched from Iran, as tensions in the region continue to rise.
India and Russia are set to expand their defence cooperation, with India expressing interest in procuring additional S-400 missile systems. Discussions took place ahead of the India-Russia annual summit.
The Indian defence ministry has initiated a project to indigenously design and develop a 1000-kg aerial bomb for the Indian Air Force (IAF), aiming to enhance self-reliance in the defence sector.
US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) announced a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, noting that the temporary truce coincides with Russia's Victory Day celebrations commemorating the then-Soviet Union's role in World War II.
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.
Delhi must now purge the delusional hopes of being a 'counterweight' to China in the US calculus, argues Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
If one has to compare the tenures of the two prime ministers one must credit Nehru with laying the foundations on which Modi is building a grand edifice, asserts Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
'India should understand that we are not going to make the same mistakes with India that we made with China 20 years ago.'
Ukraine has lodged a formal protest with India regarding the detention of six Ukrainian nationals in Mizoram, alleging unauthorised entry and unlawful activities. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry is seeking consular access and immediate release of its citizens.
Around 100 artistes heralded the parade, on the theme 'Vividata Mein Ekta (Unity in Diversity) that featured a grand presentation of musical instruments, demonstrating the nation's unity and rich cultural diversity.
The Indian Defence Ministry has refuted media reports suggesting a pause in defence purchases from the US, clarifying that procurement processes are ongoing despite tariff tensions between the two countries.
Specifically, military experts are assessing if the 'Octopus' interceptor anti-drone system, produced in the UK to support Ukraine in countering Russian threats, could be repurposed to strengthen British protections against Iran's Shahed drones.
Ukrainian forces conducted large-scale drone strikes on several air bases deep inside Russia, destroying multiple combat planes, Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) said on Sunday.
A 22-year-old man from Gujarat's Morbi town, captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting for the Russian military, has sent a video message to his family here, making an emotional appeal for help from the Indian government for his release.
'The additional Rafales will be from a vastly improved version compared to the 36 acquired for the IAF under the 2016 deal.'
'As result, Netanyahu 'convinced' Trump to go to war with the help of overoptimistic Israeli intelligence assessments, essentially explaining to him that they only need to bomb Iran for 3-4 days, and the regime would then collapse.' 'Rather unsurprisingly, Netanyahu is ever since blaming his own intel service for the entire operation failing.'
The Russians have termed Putin's visit to India, his first to this country since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, as 'Druzhba Dosti', which means 'friendship' in Russian and Hindi respectively.
India has stated it will wait for the outcome of the elections in Bangladesh and the resulting mandate before addressing any existing issues. The country also affirmed its support for free, fair, inclusive, and credible elections in Bangladesh.
This weekend, Donald Trump has begun to say the quiet part out loud -- that he wants to take control of Iran's oil, a formulation more in line with his robber-baron style of international relations.
