Russia, India to discuss military-technical cooperation on Dec. 6

Russia and India will hold a meeting of the inter-governmental commission on military-technical cooperation and negotiations between the foreign and defense ministers of the two countries in the 2×2 format on December 6, Kremlin Aide Yuri Ushakov said on Friday.

Both sides also substantially prepared for a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to India, the Kremlin aide added.

“The inter-governmental commission on military-technical cooperation will convene for its session on December 6. Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu is the commission’s co-chairman on Russia’s behalf. Military-technical cooperation is still a major issue in the context of bilateral relations,” Ushakov said.

Also “a very substantive contact between the foreign and defense ministers of the two countries will take place in the 2×2 format in the first half of the day on December 6,” the Kremlin aide said.

At a ceremony of receiving credentials from foreign ambassadors in the Kremlin on December 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he intended to discuss with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi new large-scale initiatives on further developing “especially privileged Russian-Indian relations and Russian-Indian strategic partnership.”

As the Russian leader elaborated, the Russia-India partnership yields real mutual benefits for both countries. Bilateral trade is developing dynamically along with bilateral relations in the energy sector, innovations, outer space, the production of COVID-19 vaccines and medicines and both countries are maintaining broad cooperation in the defense sector, in particular, through joint ventures.