Business

India and Russia Sign 16 Landmark Agreements Across Defence, Economy, Healthcare and More

During the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasised the enduring strength of bilateral ties. Modi noted that the renewed momentum in the relationship will help both nations navigate global challenges and build a shared, secure future.

• By Newsdesk
• New Delhi
• Dec 07, 2025

Business

India and Russia on Friday signed 16 wide-ranging agreements covering defence, trade, economic cooperation, healthcare, education, culture and media, marking a significant expansion of their strategic partnership.

During the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasised the enduring strength of bilateral ties. Modi noted that the renewed momentum in the relationship will help both nations navigate global challenges and build a shared, secure future.

Reiterating India’s uncompromising stance on terrorism, Modi described it as an attack on the fundamental values of humanity and called for collective international action.

A major outcome of the summit was the formal launch of discussions on a Free Trade Agreement between India and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Modi also announced that Russian travellers will soon be eligible for a free 30-day e-tourist visa as well as a 30-day Group Tourist Visa. In a significant step in environmental cooperation, Russia agreed to join the framework agreement for the International Big Cat Alliance.

In their joint statement, the two countries committed to strengthening cooperation against terrorism, extremism, transnational organised crime, drug trafficking, terrorist financing and money laundering. They condemned recent terror attacks in both Jammu & Kashmir and Russia, calling for unified global efforts against all UN-designated terrorist organisations, including Al Qaeda and ISIS/Daesh.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said both leaders agreed to accelerate negotiations on the proposed India-EAEU Free Trade Agreement, with clear timelines to guide the process. He added that defence and military-technical cooperation remains a cornerstone of the partnership, with Russia continuing to support India’s Make in India initiative.

The leaders also jointly presided over the India-Russia Business Forum, where Modi highlighted India’s strong economic trajectory and reaffirmed the country’s ambition to become the world’s third-largest economy through its “perform, reform and transform” approach.