NEW DELHI: This year, at least half a dozen top executives from India’s defence industry—including Adani Defence and Bharat Forge—made a rare and largely unreported trip to Russia to explore potential joint ventures, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
It was the first visit by Indian defence business leaders to Moscow since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, underscoring how cautiously the industry is navigating its long-standing ties with the country. Officials said the meetings were part of a broader push to shift decades-old India-Russia defence relations toward co-developing weapons, rather than simply importing them.
But such collaboration comes with risks. Western diplomats have warned that India’s close defence ties with Russia—and the fact that about 36% of its military equipment is Russian-made—could complicate New Delhi’s plans to co-develop Western technology. The stakes are high: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to turn India from one of the world’s largest arms importers into a global hub for defence manufacturing.
The meetings, held on October 29-30, coincided with a visit by a wider Indian defence-industrial delegation led by Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar. Officials said the trip also aimed to lay the groundwork for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to India on December 4-5.
According to sources, the talks touched on practical steps such as manufacturing spare parts for Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets, other Russian-origin air defence and weapons systems, and setting up production units in India for equipment that could potentially also be exported to Russia.
The meetings drew a mix of attendees—from executives at state-owned firms and major conglomerates to startups developing drones and military AI. A Kalyani Group executive reportedly explored collaboration on Russian-origin tanks, aircraft, and helicopters, while Adani Defence CEO Ashish Rajvanshi was also present. Representatives from the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers, which counts more than 500 companies including Tata Sons, Larsen & Toubro, and Bharat Electronics, attended as well.
Despite these reports, spokespeople for Adani Group and Bharat Forge denied that their executives participated in the meetings.
Russia has been India’s top arms supplier for decades. During Putin’s upcoming visit, both countries are expected to emphasize a shift toward “joint research and development, co-development, and co-production of advanced defence technology,” signaling India’s desire to strengthen its self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
