India and Russia are moving to strengthen their long-standing defence partnership as both countries continue discussions on military cooperation, defence technology and industrial collaboration.
The latest engagement comes during Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth’s official visit to Russia from September 16 to 18, 2026. The visit is focused on strengthening military-to-military ties and expanding professional cooperation between the Indian and Russian armed forces.
During the visit, General Seth is meeting senior Russian military and defence officials to discuss areas of mutual interest, including military cooperation, training and defence industry matters. He is also scheduled to visit key Russian military institutions as part of the engagement.
India-Russia defence relations have traditionally been built around military equipment and long-term support for platforms operated by the Indian armed forces. However, the partnership has increasingly expanded toward technology cooperation, indigenous manufacturing, joint development and production.
The BrahMos programme remains a major example of bilateral defence cooperation, demonstrating how the two countries can work together on advanced military technology and production. India has also continued to modernise several Russian-origin platforms as part of its broader effort to maintain operational capabilities.
The evolving partnership comes as India places greater emphasis on domestic defence manufacturing and reducing dependence on imports. Cooperation with Russia is therefore increasingly being shaped around technology transfer, local production and support for India’s defence industrial capabilities.
At the political level, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin have also continued discussions on bilateral cooperation, including defence, energy, space and economic relations.
The latest military engagement highlights the continuing importance of India-Russia defence ties while reflecting their changing character. Future cooperation is expected to involve a wider focus on advanced technology, defence manufacturing, modernisation and professional military exchanges.