DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2014.v02i02.019

Pages: 254-257

India-Russia ties have acquired a qualitatively new character with enhanced levels of cooperation taking place in almost all areas of the bilateral relationship including political, security, trade and economy, defense, science and technology and culture. Under the Declaration of Strategic Partnership, several institutionalized dialogue mechanisms have been put in place that operate at the political and official levels, and ensure regular interaction and follow up on cooperation activities. Bilateral ties with Russia are a key pillar of India's foreign policy. India seeks Russia as a longstanding and time-tested friend that has played a significant role in its economic development and security. Since the signing of the Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership in October 2000. Russia has been a long standing partner of India in nuclear energy and recognizes India as a country with advanced nuclear technology and an impeccable non-proliferation record. The construction of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project India and Russia has also been collaborating in several high-technology space projects. Under the 2004 Inter-Governmental Agreement on “Cooperation in the area of exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, Russia and India are cooperating on projects such as the Moon mission Chandrayan 2, and the Human Space Flight Project. On 20th April 2011, the jointly developed Indian-Russian Student Satellite Youth sat was successfully launched by India on a PSLV rocket Defiance relations between India and the Russian Federation have a historical perspective. The Soviet Union was an important supplier of defiance equipment for several decades, and that relationship was inherited by Russia after the break-up of the Soviet Union. Today, the co-operation is not limited to a buyer-seller relationship but includes joint research and development, training, service to service contacts, including joint exercises.