India and Russia are pushing forward a significant partnership in Arctic shipbuilding, marking a pivotal moment in their strategic and industrial relationship. The plan involves a joint venture to manufacture specialized Arctic-class ships, designed to operate in the extreme and challenging environment of the Arctic region.

Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, currently in New Delhi with President Vladimir Putin’s delegation, revealed details of this collaboration in an exclusive Sputnik India interview. Russia's expertise in nuclear icebreaker construction, combined with India’s rapidly growing shipbuilding industry, forms a robust foundation for this endeavour.

The Arctic’s harsh hydrometeorological conditions demand vessels with high ice-class specifications. These include cargo ships such as tankers, bulk carriers, container ships, and LNG carriers, capable of safe navigation through ice-covered waters. Joint production of these vessels represents a highly promising area of cooperation between the two countries.

A working group under the Russian-Indian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Cultural Cooperation is actively discussing the plan. On the Russian side, the group is led by ROSATOM, while India is represented by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.

Beyond shipbuilding, Manturov also emphasised expanding civil aviation cooperation. Building on decades of defence-related aerospace collaboration, India’s growing domestic aviation market aligns well with the “Make in India” initiative, offering opportunities for deeper engagement.

Russia expressed readiness to support India not just by supplying modern aircraft, but also by aiding in the development of India’s own aviation industry. A recent agreement for the production of SJ-100 aircraft in India reflects this strategy. The updated Superjet, currently operated by Russian airlines with over 40 million passengers transported, could see further cooperative production efforts with Indian partners as serial manufacturing scales up.

Trade relations between the two countries have also seen remarkable growth. In the last five years, Russian-Indian trade turnover has increased nearly sevenfold. The goal set by both nations is to exceed $100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.

India is viewed as a major partner in product categories where it can replace goods previously imported from unfriendly countries, offering high quality and competitive pricing. This development is particularly relevant as Indian businesses seek alternative markets amid rising tariffs in the US.

The overall strategy signals a two-way approach: Russia aims to expand its exports while simultaneously encouraging Indian firms to invest and collaborate actively within the Russian market.

“Ensuring safe navigation in the Arctic’s harsh hydrometeorological conditions requires high ice-class cargo ships, such as tankers, bulk carriers, container ships, and LNG carriers. Establishing joint production of such ice-class vessels could become a promising avenue for cooperation,” Manturov said.

“We have a number of examples of deep and productive long-term cooperation in aviation. Russia is ready to work with India not only in supplying modern aircraft but also in helping build India’s own aviation industry,” he said.

“Over the past five years, Russian-Indian trade turnover has surged nearly sevenfold. Our nations aim to surpass $100 billion by 2030. India can be a major partner in in-demand product categories where Indian producers can replace goods previously sourced from unfriendly countries, ensuring high quality and competitive pricing,” he said.

Agencies