New Delhi: Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth began a three-day official visit to Russia on September 16, aimed at strengthening the longstanding India-Russia defence partnership and expanding military-to-military cooperation between the two countries. The visit runs until September 18.
During his visit to Moscow, General Seth will receive a ceremonial Guard of Honour and pay tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. He is scheduled to hold talks with Colonel General Andrei Mordvichev, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Land Forces, focusing on professional military cooperation, training and issues of mutual interest.
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A significant part of the programme involves engagement with Russia's defence establishment. General Seth is scheduled to visit the National Defence Control Centre and meet senior Russian Defence Ministry officials, including Deputy Defence Minister Vasily Osmakov, who handles defence industry and procurement. These discussions provide a platform to exchange views on contemporary military developments and explore avenues for strengthening defence cooperation.
The Army Chief will also travel to St Petersburg, where he is scheduled to visit the Mikhailovskaya Military Artillery Academy and interact with its leadership and faculty. The engagement highlights the continuing importance of military education and professional exchanges within the bilateral relationship.
The visit comes against the backdrop of a defence relationship that has evolved beyond the traditional buyer-seller model towards joint research, development, production and technology cooperation. India and Russia continue to operate and develop a wide range of military systems, while New Delhi has also been seeking greater localisation, technology access and domestic production within its defence ecosystem.
The timing is also notable following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's September 11 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi, where the two sides discussed defence alongside trade, energy, critical minerals, nuclear cooperation and other strategic areas.
For the Indian Army, engagement with Russia remains relevant across areas including military equipment, ammunition, spares, maintenance, training and technology cooperation. At the same time, India's broader defence policy is increasingly focused on indigenisation and diversification of supply chains, making industrial cooperation and technology partnerships important components of future engagement.
General Seth's Russia visit therefore provides another high-level channel for India and Moscow to sustain their defence relationship while exploring how military cooperation can adapt to changing battlefield technologies, evolving procurement requirements and India's growing emphasis on domestic defence production.
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