Putin Signs Landmark Military Pact With India: Warships, Aircraft And Aid To Move More Freely

New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a major military cooperation deal with India on Monday, the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (RELOS). The deal had already cleared the Russian parliament earlier this month. The State Duma gave its approval on December 2, and the Federation Council followed on December 8, before landing before the Russian President.  

According to reports, after the smooth clearance through the two chambers, the bill travelled to the Kremlin for the final presidential stamp, completing Russia’s domestic legislative steps.

What Is The RELOS Pact

The officials stated that the RELOS agreement laid out the rules for moving troops, warships and military aircraft between the two countries and how each side will provide logistical backing when the other’s forces are operating on its soil. An explanatory note from the Russian Cabinet of Ministers explained that the text covers not just the dispatch of personnel and hardware but also the support services they might need during joint exercises, training sessions, humanitarian missions and disaster‑relief operations. The pact even allows its provisions to be used in other situations, provided both nations agree.

A note posted on the State Duma’s website added that ratifying the deal will make it easier for Russian and Indian military planes to share airspace and for warships to make port calls, cutting red‑tape and smoothing the way for future visits. The cabinet stressed that the arrangement should give a real boost to the bilateral military relationship.

It is worth noting that the agreement will not become active until the two sides exchange the formal instruments of ratification, a final step that will lock the pact into law on both sides.

The signing follows a two‑day state visit by President Putin to India on December 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the Russian President at the airport, and the two leaders then held an informal chat before sitting down for more than two hours of formal talks the next day. Those negotiations produced a broad economic cooperation programme that stretches all the way to 2030 .

The RELOS deal, together with the new economic roadmap, signals a deepening partnership between Moscow and Delhi.