26 Years of Russia–India Strategic Partnership

Dragon Media Newsroom

The Declaration on Strategic Partnership between Russia and India was signed 26 years ago, on October 3, 2000, during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India. The declaration ushered bilateral relations into a new phase.

Since then, ties have advanced to the level of a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. The two countries have continued to expand cooperation based on mutual respect, trust and equal consideration of each other’s interests.

Russia and India cooperate through multilateral forums, including the United Nations, G20, BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. They share a commitment to making international relations more democratic and advancing a multipolar world order.

In a statement to the media following talks in New Delhi in December 2025, President Putin said Russia and India pursued independent and sovereign foreign policies. He said that, together with their BRICS partners and other countries of the Global Majority, they were working to build a fairer and more democratic multipolar world order and uphold the principles enshrined in the UN Charter.