Russia and India are preparing new logistics routes to support the upcoming Free Trade Agreement between New Delhi and the Eurasian Economic Union. Investment protection agreements are being developed to safeguard businesses in India, Russia, and the EAEU members Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

These measures include new transport corridors and a financial settlement system designed to operate independently of Western sanctions, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko.

Moscow and New Delhi have set a target of one hundred billion dollars in bilateral trade by 2030. To achieve this, both sides are focusing on strengthening transport connectivity. The Vladivostok–Chennai maritime route is a priority, alongside joint development of the Northern Sea Route.

In June 2026, the Indian Ministry of Transport informed President Putin that Russian operators showed little interest in operating a direct Vladivostok–Chennai line due to limited specialised capacity at the departure port. A Kremlin response is expected to follow.

Mutual payment systems are also being designed to bypass Western financial architecture. Two major economic agreements are in preparation: one covering mutual investment protection and the other being the Free Trade Agreement itself. These frameworks are intended to provide stability and predictability for businesses operating across the new trade zone.

Key sectors identified for cooperation include machine building, agriculture, military equipment production, and high technology. The digital and space sectors are also central, covering satellite and mobile communications, information security, telecommunications, digitalisation of state administration, and urban infrastructure.

Submarine cable systems are part of the terrestrial infrastructure agenda. Energy cooperation remains a cornerstone, with Rudenko emphasising that regular Russian oil supplies strengthen India’s energy security and help stabilise global markets.

In the nuclear sector, construction of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant continues apace. Moscow and New Delhi are also selecting a new site for another nuclear facility, underscoring the depth of cooperation in civilian nuclear energy.

Coordinating these diverse activities, including the planned expansion of Northern Sea Route usage, is complex. Taxation and trade issues must be harmonised across multiple sectors within the Free Trade Agreement, and the other EAEU members will need to align their frameworks accordingly.

India’s trade with the EAEU in 2025 illustrates the scale of engagement. Bilateral trade with Russia reached 68.7 billion dollars, a twenty per cent increase year‑on‑year.

Kazakhstan accounted for 923 million dollars, up twenty‑five per cent. Armenia saw a dramatic rise to 317 million dollars, a one hundred and fifty‑two per cent increase. Belarus registered 106 million dollars, up thirty per cent, while Kyrgyzstan recorded 4.5 million dollars, a twenty‑eight per cent increase. These figures highlight the momentum already building ahead of the Free Trade Agreement.

The precedent of the EAEU’s 2024 Free Trade Agreement with Iran provides a useful comparison. That deal resulted in a thirty per cent increase in bilateral trade with Russia and a tripling of Iranian trade with other EAEU members.

It also eliminated ninety‑five per cent of tariffs between Iran and the bloc. The impact of the India‑EAEU agreement is expected to be even more significant, given the scale of India’s economy and its strategic role in Eurasian connectivity.

Agencies