Explained: What India–Russia military pact means for logistics, Arctic ops and defence

Russia’s Duma or the lower house of Parliament is preparing to ratify a landmark military logistics pact with India ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi on 4–5 December for the 23rd annual bilateral summit, according to reports from Moscow.

The RELOS (Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement), signed on 18 February 2025 in Moscow by India’s Ambassador Vinay Kumar and then Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, has now been uploaded to the State Duma’s ratification database along with the government’s explanatory note.

The note, quoted by Russian news agency TASS, stated that the Russian government believes the agreement’s ratification will “strengthen cooperation between Russia and India in the military sphere.”

A major expansion of military interoperability

RELOS is designed to streamline logistical coordination for a range of joint activities including:
• military exercises and naval deployments,
• humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and
• operations requiring reciprocal access to fuel, food, spares and maintenance.

Defence officials say the pact will make India–Russia military operations more efficient by reducing administrative hurdles and enabling cashless or simplified settlement arrangements for logistical support. Such agreements, already signed between India and countries like the US, France, Australia and Japan, allow each country’s armed forces to access the other’s bases for refuelling, repair and rest.

Potential Arctic cooperation

Russian commentators believe RELOS could significantly expand the geographical scope of Indo-Russian cooperation. The Russian daily Izvestia, reporting at the time of signing, noted that some provisions of the agreement could apply to joint exercises in the Arctic — a region of growing strategic interest.

India already ships LNG from Russia’s Yamal Peninsula, and its naval assets such as Talwar-class frigates and the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya are equipped for cold-weather sailing.

Under RELOS, Indian naval ships may make use of Russian Arctic and Far East ports for logistics and maintenance during transits or exercises. In turn, Russian vessels could draw upon Indian naval facilities, enhancing Moscow’s operational reach in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Strategic observers say this would help Russia counterbalance the expanding presence of China and extra-regional navies in the IOR.

Meanwhile, the impending ratification underscores both countries’ intent to reinforce defence ties despite global geopolitical shifts. Russia remains India’s long-standing military partner, while New Delhi continues to maintain a balanced foreign policy amid US-Russia tensions. Formal approval of RELOS before President Putin’s arrival would signal a strong diplomatic message that both nations are committed to preserving strategic autonomy and deepening military collaboration.

The agreement is expected to figure prominently during the summit, alongside discussions on energy, trade, nuclear cooperation and regional security.

India has entered into several military logistics agreements over the years, including the India–US Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), the India–Japan Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), and the India–Australia Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA), thereby covering all Quad partners. In addition, India maintains similar arrangements with France, Singapore and South Korea, and is currently negotiating parallel pacts with the UK and Vietnam.

The signing of RELOS with Russia would further expand this network, significantly strengthening the strategic cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow.