Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, on December 2 ratified a key military pact with India ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to New Delhi, which begins tomorrow, December 4.
The Agreement on Mutual Exchange of Logistic Support (RELOS), signed on February 18 by India and Russia, was sent to the State Duma for ratification by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin last week.
“Our relations with India are strategic and complex and we value them. We understand that today’s ratification of the agreement is the next step towards reciprocity and, of course, the development of our relations,” State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said in the chamber, according to a PTI report.
What is the RELOS Agreement?
- The RELOS agreement establishes the procedure for sending military formations, warships and military aircraft of Russia to India and vice versa and the organization of their mutual logistical support.
- The agreement regulates the clearance of troops and equipment and their logistics.
- The established procedure will be used in joint exercises, training, humanitarian aid, disaster relief after natural and man-made disasters and in other cases as agreed.
In a note published on the Duma’s website, the Russian Cabinet of Ministers said the ratification would “facilitate mutual use of the airspace and ports of both countries by Russian and Indian warships”.
He added that RELOS will “strengthen military cooperation between the two countries.”
Vladimir Putin on a two-day state visit to India
Putin is on a two-day visit to India where he is expected to meet President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discuss a range of issues including trade and defense and other strategic bilateral relations.
The state visit to India will be from December 4-5 and he will attend the 23rd annual India-Russia summit and hold talks with Modi. Murmu also receives Putin and holds a banquet in his honor.
The visit will mark Putin’s first visit to India since 2021. The two leaders last met in person in September this year in Tianjin, China, on the sidelines of the SCO summit.
The Kremlin said earlier that the two sides are expected to adopt a joint statement and sign “a wide range of inter-ministerial and trade agreements” after the talks between the leaders. According to reports, the two sides are also likely to focus on deepening cooperation in the areas of civil nuclear energy.
