Russia’s State Duma, the lower chamber of parliament, has unanimously ratified the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (RELOS) agreement with India, paving the way for seamless mutual assistance between the armed forces.
The move, approved during a plenary session on December 2, arrives just two days before President Vladimir Putin’s scheduled state visit to New Delhi on December 4-5 for the 23rd India-Russia annual summit.
The RELOS pact
The RELOS pact, inked on February 18, 2025, in Moscow by Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar and then-Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, establishes clear protocols for reciprocal logistical aid. It enables Russian and Indian military units, including troops, warships, and aircraft, to access each other’s facilities for refueling, repairs, and supplies during joint maneuvers, training drills, humanitarian missions, and emergency responses.
A government note accompanying the ratification highlighted its role in streamlining airspace access and port visits, potentially extending operational reach in challenging theaters like the Arctic, where India’s LNG imports from Russia’s Yamal Peninsula could intersect with naval exercises.
‘This ratification marks a vital stride in our reciprocal partnership,’ said Vyacheslav Volodin, Speaker of the State Duma, during the session. He emphasized the ‘strategic and comprehensive’ nature of Indo-Russian relations, underscoring how the deal fosters deeper interoperability without imposing financial burdens on either side.
The Russian Cabinet, in its submission to the Duma last week via Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, affirmed that the agreement would ‘bolster military collaboration’ amid evolving global security dynamics.
For India, whose Navy operates Russian-built assets like the Talwar-class frigates and the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, both Arctic-capable, the pact opens doors to Russian northern bases for sustainment during high-latitude operations. In turn, Russia gains enhanced footholds in the Indian Ocean, allowing its vessels to leverage Indian ports.
Analysts point out that RELOS aligns with India’s multi-alignment strategy, complementing similar logistics pacts with the US (LEMOA) and France (2019 agreement), while reinforcing Moscow as a core defense supplier accounting for over 60% of India’s military hardware imports.
The ratification caps a year of intensified bilateral momentum. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s September 2025 meeting with Mr. Putin in Tianjin, China, discussions have accelerated on nuclear energy, with Russia offering small modular reactor tech for projects like Kudankulam.
Trade targets, too, are in focus. Bilateral volumes hit $65 billion in 2024-25, with goals to reach $100 billion by 2030 through energy, diamonds, and fertilizers.
Yet, the summit faces headwinds from Western sanctions on Russia, which have delayed S-400 system deliveries and complicated rupee-ruble payment mechanisms. President Putin’s visit, his first to India since the Ukraine conflict escalated, is poised to unveil new defense co-production ventures and energy deals, including Arctic LNG expansions.