India-Russia relations faced rigorous examination in 2025, a year defined by escalating wars, stringent sanctions, and mounting trade frictions.

Western pressures bore down heavily on Moscow amid the Ukraine conflict, imposing fresh curbs on oil exports and financial channels. Simultaneously, New Delhi drew sharp scrutiny from the United States for persisting with Russian crude imports.

The Trump administration escalated tariffs on Indian goods, linking them directly to India's energy dealings with Russia. These measures raised the tariff burden to 50 per cent, prompting warnings from Washington. Yet India held firm, with the Ministry of External Affairs emphasising that energy import choices prioritised national interest, affordability, and citizens' needs over foreign diktats.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lent vocal support to India's resolve. Commenting on the 25 per cent additional tariff, he asserted that Indians would not tolerate humiliation. Putin lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "balanced and wise" leader safeguarding national interests, as reported by RT.

Diplomatic momentum remained undiminished despite global strains. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov convened six times across Moscow, New York, Tianjin, Rio de Janeiro, and Johannesburg. This cadence underscored unwavering commitment.

The year's diplomatic pinnacle arrived with President Putin's tenth visit to India in December—his first since the Russia-Ukraine war erupted. Laden with symbolism, the trip signalled Moscow's enduring view of New Delhi as a pivotal ally, defying sanctions and international censure.

Former Indian Ambassador to Russia, D. Bala Venkatesh Varma, characterised the bond as rooted in enduring mutual necessities rather than fleeting alignments. He highlighted the exceptional rapport between Modi and Putin, aligned strategic interests, and widespread public goodwill as anchors of stability.

These elements, Varma noted to ANI, fortified the partnership amid a volatile global landscape. Economic ties mirrored this resilience, with bilateral trade surging to a record USD 68.7 billion in FY 2024-25. Russian crude oil, fertilisers, and coal propelled India's imports, while pharmaceuticals, chemicals, steel, and engineering goods bolstered exports.

US admonitions over Russian oil persisted as a flashpoint. President Trump overtly tied India's purchases to punitive tariffs. India rebutted by contending that its imports stabilised volatile global energy markets and fragile supply chains.

During his August visit to Russia, Jaishankar challenged the rationale of secondary sanctions. He expressed perplexity at Washington's approach, arguing that India's energy decisions mitigated global price shocks rather than fuelling them.

The December India-Russia annual summit in Delhi reaffirmed ambitions to elevate trade to USD 100 billion by 2030. Pacts spanning energy, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, media, and industrial collaboration were inked, signalling broad-based expansion.

Defence ties, the bedrock of the partnership, evolved markedly. Beyond mere procurement, 2025 emphasised co-production and technology transfer, aligning with India's Atmanirbhar Bharat push.

At the Aero India Air Show in Bangalore, Russia's Su-57 stealth fighter drew keen interest, reigniting discourse on Indian Air Force modernisation. Moscow proposed local manufacturing and joint ventures as viable paths forward.

India sealed a USD 248 million contract with Rosoboronexport for 1,000-horsepower engines to upgrade T-72 tanks. Incorporating technology transfer and indigenous production, the deal invigorated domestic capabilities.

Joint exercises like INDRA-2025 honed operational synergy between the armed forces. Parallel talks advanced on collaborative R&D for cutting-edge weaponry.

A defining episode unfolded in May with Operation Sindoor. India struck terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir following the Pahalgam attack that claimed 25 civilians and one tourist.

Russian S-400 systems, procured defying US sanction threats, proved instrumental in bolstering air defences. Prime Minister Modi hailed them publicly as a cornerstone of national security.

This validated New Delhi's insistence that security imperatives trump external pressures. Further solidifying military bonds, the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) became operational.

Ratified by Russia's parliament and enacted by Putin in December, RELOS enhances logistics coordination for exercises, disaster relief, and joint operations—fostering greater interoperability.

On multilateral fronts, India and Russia aligned closely within BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Both decried bloc confrontations and unilateral coercion. A poignant SCO summit moment in Tianjin saw Modi and Putin sharing a Russian Aurus Senat limousine, epitomising camaraderie.

Cultural and people-to-people strands enriched the relationship. Exchanges in academia, yoga's rising appeal in Russia, and burgeoning interest in Indian cinema lent softer hues.

RT India's launch during Putin's visit marked media collaboration gains, countering Western narrative dominance.

Summit agreements on temporary labour mobility and curbing illegal migration heralded workforce synergies. With Russia eyeing 10 million workers by 2030, India's youthful, skilled demographic positions it ideally.

As 2025 closed, India-Russia ties emerged resilient, unscathed by trials. Surging energy trade, adaptive defence pacts, and steadfast diplomacy enabled navigation through sanctions and geopolitical headwinds.

Based On ANI Report