Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov on Thursday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao, China. The meeting focused on a broad spectrum of issues, including current geopolitical developments, cross-border terrorism, and Indo-Russian defence cooperation.
In what was described as one of the most crucial interactions between the two nations, being held in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, the ministers held in-depth discussions on the consequent necessity of augmenting defence production, especially in critical items such as air defence, air-to-air missiles, modern capabilities, and upgrades of air platforms.
The Russian Defence Minister reiterated the strength of the long-standing Indo-Russian relationship, describing it as a time-tested partnership. He also expressed Russia’s solidarity with India over the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, condemning it as a heinous and cowardly act.
Key takeaways from the meeting included discussions on the expedited supply of critical military hardware such as S-400 air defence systems, upgrades of Su-30 MKI fighter jets, air-to-air missile systems, and other advanced defence technologies. The two sides also explored opportunities for joint production, modernisation of defence platforms, and enhancement of strategic collaboration.
The meeting reaffirmed the strategic depth of Indo-Russian defence ties and the shared commitment to regional and global security amid evolving geopolitical challenges.
