India–Russia relations
In 1468, a Russian merchant named Afanasy Nikitin set out from his home in Tver to travel toward India. He walked through Persia and the Ottoman Empire before reaching the Indian subcontinent. His journey lasted three years until he returned home unable to afford much for himself. This early expedition laid groundwork for future commercial ties between the two regions. By the 1720s, Indian merchants had established trading compounds in Astrakhan where they paid only twelve rubles annually as rent for their shops. These traders brought linen fabrics, cottons, silks, and other textiles into Russia under special privileges granted by Peter the Great. The value of goods exported from Astrakhan into interior cities reached over one hundred thousand four hundred rubles in 1724. British occupation eventually stopped independent Indian trade with Russia altogether.
India and the Soviet Union officially established diplomatic relations in April 1947 just before India declared independence from Britain. In May 1955, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited Moscow while Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev traveled to New Delhi later that same year. During these visits both leaders announced support for Indian sovereignty over disputed territories including Kashmir and Goa. The Soviet Union exercised its veto power on the Kashmir dispute in 1951 to protect India's interests. By 1960 India received more Soviet assistance than China did creating tension within communist bloc relations. In October 1962 the Sino-Indian War broke out but the Soviet Union declared neutrality despite Chinese objections. A peace broker emerged when Premier Alexei Kosygin met representatives from India and Pakistan after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 helping them negotiate an end to military conflict over Kashmir. The Indo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed in August 1971 became a cornerstone of strategic alignment during the Cold War era.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union Russia maintained close ties with India through what they called a strategic partnership. President Vladimir Putin stated in an article written by him in The Hindu that the Declaration on Strategic Partnership signed in October 2000 became truly historic step. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed calling Putin a valued friend of India and original architect of the India-Russia strategic partnership. The Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission serves as main body conducting affairs at governmental level between both countries divided into two parts covering trade economic scientific technological cultural cooperation and military technical cooperation. Almost every department from Government of India attends these annual meetings co-chaired respectively by Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Indian External Affairs Minister plus Defence Ministers for military matters. In May 2022 political scientist Sergey Karaganov who is considered close to Vladimir Putin stated that India figured extremely high on agenda of Russian foreign policy. By November 2022 India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar praised Russia as exceptionally steady time-tested partner while January 2023 saw Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova backing India in its dispute with British national broadcaster BBC over documentary critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Between 2012 and 2016 Russia accounted for sixty-eight percent of India's defense imports making it chief supplier of defence equipment. A ten-year agreement signed in 1997 encompassed wide range activities including purchase completed weaponry joint development production marketing armaments military technologies beyond buyer-seller relationship. Joint ventures included construction naval frigates KA-226T twin-engine utility helicopters Brahmos cruise missile with fifty point five percent ownership held by India and forty-nine point five percent by Russia. In October 2018 India signed historic agreement worth US$5.43 billion procuring five units S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile defence systems ignoring America's CAATSA act despite United States threatening sanctions. Over one thousand T-90S Bhishma tanks planned to be built in India under Make in India initiative while two Akula-II nuclear submarines leased with option buy when lease expires. Sukhoi Su-30MKI programme involves building plus two hundred thirty aircraft by Hindustan Aeronautics. Despite ongoing Ukraine war Russia fulfilled contractual obligations delivering all weapon systems including S-400 air defense system according schedule expecting serial production AK-203 assault rifles begin late 2022 early 2023.
In December 2008 Russia and India signed agreement build civilian nuclear reactors during visit Russian president New Delhi running until 2030 sixteen eighteen new reactors constructed installed capacity one thousand MW each costing around US$2.5 billion per unit potentially touching US$45 billion total deal value. During Russian invasion Ukraine India imported lot discounted Russian oil rising become second biggest supplier May pushing Saudi Arabia third place still behind Iraq remaining number one accounting eighteen percent crude imports. After January 2023 Russia became India top oil supplier replacing Iraq with imports rose fifth straight month November accounting twenty-three percent overall import four million barrels daily. In March 2022 Western nations imposed economic sanctions aftermath invasion Ukraine India explored alternative payment systems due exclusion most Russian banks SWIFT Visa Mastercard officials discussing accepting RuPay MIR cards Reserve Bank India Bank Russia seek facilitate financial transactions independent rupee-ruble exchange system particularly purchase sunflower oil India export petroleum products fertilizers Russian Federation. Bilateral trade reached record growth US$18.229 billion five months after 2022 impact compared last year figure amounting US$13.124 billion year before that US$8.141 billion pandemic now Russia seventh largest trading partner risen place from twenty-fifth position occupied last year.
India's first satellite Aryabhata launched into space with cooperation Soviet Union April 1975 Kapustin Yar using Kosmos-3M launch vehicle named after Indian astronomer same name. Only Indian visit space Rakesh Sharma also launched Soviet Union under Interkosmos space program. During President Vladimir Putin visit India December 2004 two space-related bilateral agreements signed viz Intergovernmental umbrella Agreement cooperation outer space peaceful purposes Inter-Space Agency Agreement cooperation Russian satellite navigation system GLONASS subsequently number follow-up agreements signed November 2007 countries signed agreement joint lunar exploration. Chandrayaan-2 joint lunar exploration mission proposed Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO Russian Federal Space Agency RKA projected cost INR4.25 billion US$90 million included lunar orbiter rover made India lander built Russia but repeated delays led Indian side ultimately develop own lander borne all costs mission itself later ISRO developed own lander Vikram launched Chandrayaan-2 successfully the 22nd of July 2019 SDSC SHAR Sriharikota Andhra Pradesh. On the 10th of February 2020 Glavkosmos JSC Manned Space Flight Center Indian Space Research Organisation began training Indian Air Force pilots preparing launch astronauts.
One first Russian visitors India Afanasiy Nikitin merchant Tver famous journey documented book Journey Beyond Three Seas spent three years India traveling many regions documenting people economy trade agriculture customs portrayed Soviet actor Oleg Strizhenov alongside Hindi screen legend Nargis Dutt 1950s film Journey Beyond Three Seas. Astrakhan historically trading centre Indian merchants since sixteenth century meeting Peter Great agreed Anbu Ram request full free trade including transit rights. Nicholas Rocher studied ancient Indian languages eighteenth centuries influenced philosophy Ramakrishna Vivekananda poetry Rabindranath Tagore Bhagavad Gita celebrated thirteenth birth anniversary Nicholas Rocher hundredth birth anniversary Svetoslav Rocher October 2004 India. Leading Russian Indiologists Ivan Minayev Sergey Oldenburg Fyodor Shcherbatskoy Yuri Knorozov Alexandr Kondratov Nikita Gurov Eugene Chelyshev focused research understanding Indus Script Sanskrit Indian literature. Traditionally strong collaboration field cinema between India USSR several generations Russians grew watching subtitled Indian films mainly Bollywood vice versa Indians watching Russian films popular Indian films USSR included Awara Bobby Barood Mamta Disco Dancer recent contemporary films entirely shot Russia Lucky No Time Love.
Common questions
Who was the first Russian merchant to travel to India and when did he start his journey?
Afanasy Nikitin from Tver began his journey toward India in 1468. He traveled through Persia and the Ottoman Empire before reaching the Indian subcontinent.
When did India and the Soviet Union officially establish diplomatic relations?
India and the Soviet Union established diplomatic relations in April 1947 just before India declared independence from Britain. This occurred shortly after the British occupation stopped independent Indian trade with Russia.
What percentage of India's defense imports came from Russia between 2012 and 2016?
Russia accounted for sixty-eight percent of India's defense imports between 2012 and 2016 making it the chief supplier of defence equipment. A ten-year agreement signed in 1997 encompassed wide range activities including purchase completed weaponry joint development production marketing armaments military technologies beyond buyer-seller relationship.
How much oil did India import from Russia by November 2023 and what rank does this hold?
By November 2023 Russia became India top oil supplier replacing Iraq with imports rose fifth straight month accounting twenty-three percent overall import four million barrels daily. This shift made Russia the second biggest supplier pushing Saudi Arabia to third place still behind Iraq remaining number one accounting eighteen percent crude imports.
When was India's first satellite Aryabhata launched into space and which country provided cooperation?
India's first satellite Aryabhata launched into space with cooperation Soviet Union April 1975 Kapustin Yar using Kosmos-3M launch vehicle named after Indian astronomer same name. Only Indian visit space Rakesh Sharma also launched Soviet Union under Interkosmos space program.