Russia on Thursday laid emphasis on the long-standing defense partnership with India and outlined a major defense push for the country. The announcement comes amid speculation over the future of oil trade between India and Russia triggered by US President Donald Trump’s latest claim that the purchase would soon stop.
During an address in Delhi, Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov said, “For more than six decades, uninterrupted cooperation in defense has served as the backbone of India’s armed forces. This cooperation long ago moved beyond a traditional buyer-seller model to joint production and full technology-sharing arrangements.”
He highlighted the scale of Russian support, saying, “Approximately 70 percent of India’s military equipment is of Russian origin.” He pointed to its operational success, stating, “A testament to its effectiveness, as demonstrated by the Operation Sindoor.”
He detailed the achievements of joint production, adding, “Our shared achievements, including the joint production of BrahMos supersonic and soon-to-be hypersonic cruise missiles, Su-30 MKI jets, T-90 main battle tanks, AK-203 rifles, and naval frigates in India will continue to expand.”
Looking toward future collaboration, he said, “Building on this legacy, we can move confidently toward local production of the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter, supporting India’s AMCA program. Discussions are also underway on drones, anti-drone systems, advanced radar, and other force multipliers.”
Alipov emphasised the distinctive nature of this cooperation, explaining, “This cooperation is unique because it is rooted in battlefield experience that Russia willingly shares with its Indian partners. The same applies to our joint trilateral services military exercises Indra, the latest of which concluded yesterday in Rajasthan, as well as our participation in multilateral naval exercises such as Milan and the SCO anti-terrorist drills peace mission.”
Trump’s big oil claim, what India and Russia said
While speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday, Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “assured” him that India would stop the purchase of Russian oil. “I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big stop,” he said.
Hours after his remarks sparked chatter, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement, asserting that safeguarding the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario is the government’s priority, and the country’s energy imports “are guided entirely by this objective.”
Referencing the United States, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified that India has been wanting to expand its energy procurement for years.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Denis Alipov also reacted to Trump claim on New Delhi and Moscow’s oil trade, and said that Russian oil was “beneficial” to the Indian economy.
“India and the US are independent in their decisions, and we do not interfere in those issues. Our oil supplies are very beneficial for the Indian economy and the welfare of the Indian people,” he said.
The US slapped 50% tariffs on India, that took effect in August. Half of these duties were announced as additional penalties for India’s oil purchase from Russia.
