Russian Parl set to clear military logistics pact with India ahead of Putin’s visit

The lower House of Russian Parliament, the State Duma, is set to ratify a military pact enabling the armed forces of India and Russia to seamlessly exchange logistics such as fuel, spares, and access to maintenance facilities, airbases and naval ports.

Just days ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi on December 4–5, the Duma is preparing to ratify the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) with India.The pact would mark a significant milestone in bilateral military cooperation and is expected to feature prominently in the forthcoming 23rd India–Russia leaders’ summit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Putin will hold delegation-level talks in New Delhi.

The RELOS was signed in Moscow in February this year by Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar and former Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin. It requires formal ratification before implementation.

A logistics arrangement would ease several operational challenges for both countries. Russian warships and aircraft operating in the Indian Ocean would receive seamless supplies of fuel, oil, spares and maintenance support. India and Russia share multiple common military platforms, and for Moscow, the pact expands its ability to diversify maritime deployments and maintain a more sustained presence in the Indian Ocean.

The two nations conduct several joint military exercises annually and the RELOS would ensure smooth maintenance support, particularly during humanitarian missions and disaster relief operations.

For India, Russia’s extensive military infrastructure would be available for its warships deployed in the Far East. Indian aircraft, such as Sukhoi-30MKI jets, which often transit Europe and the US for exercises, would also be able to rely on Russian support en route.

With new Arctic shipping routes opening, the RELOS is increasingly relevant, allowing Indian naval assets to operate in Arctic waters.

The ratification comes at a time of shifting geopolitical dynamics, with the US exerting pressure on India to scale down defence ties with Russia.

The State Duma has uploaded the RELOS in its ratification database along with the Russian government’s note. It stated that “the Russian government believes that the ratification of the document will strengthen cooperation between Russia and India in the military sphere”, Russian news agency TASS reported.