Russia and India have signed a new agreement on the exchange of logistics, aimed at improving coordination during joint military exercises, humanitarian missions and other operations. The Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) was signed after a meeting between Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister, General of the Army Alexander Fomin and India’s Ambassador to Russia, Vinay Kumar.
Both sides emphasized the significance of the agreement in enhancing military cooperation and reiterated their commitment to strengthening defense ties. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the parties highlighted the importance of the signed document for future military interaction and confirmed their focus on continuous strengthening of cooperation in the spirit of a privileged strategic partnership.
The agreement aims to increase interoperability between the armed forces of the two countries, particularly during joint exercises and humanitarian or disaster response operations. The Russian Defense Ministry noted that such agreements expand the geographical possibilities for deployments in peacetime for all participating parties.
Experts believe the agreement may be relevant in the future, particularly in the context of a joint exercise in the Arctic region, where India is increasingly concerned about China’s activities. “It’s possible that the regulations of this agreement will be needed in the case of a joint exercise in the Arctic and in the waters of the Arctic Ocean. From the perspective of the Indian military leadership and the expert community, this is important because India is concerned about the increasing Chinese activities in the polar region” said Alexei Kuprianov, the head of the Center for the Indo-Pacific Region at the National Primakov Research Institute for World Economy and International Relations.
Russia and India have a long history of close defense ties, with Moscow being New Delhi’s largest arms supplier. However, India is actively diversifying its arms imports and technological partnerships, as per the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Russia has been a long-time supplier and technological partner for some of the most advanced systems in India, including the SU-30MKI fighter jets, built in India under license and the BrahMos missiles, a joint development of the two countries. Nearly 60% of the Indian military’s arms are of Russian origin and the two countries have reaffirmed their intention to deepen the connections further.