Indian, Russian Counterparts on S-400, Su-30 MKI Progress

On the sidelines of the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers’ summit in Qingdao, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh met with Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov to advance critical defense collaborations. The bilateral dialogue emphasized accelerating the supply of S-400 air defense systems, upgrading Su-30 MKI fighter jets, and expediting the acquisition of other essential military technologies.
This conversation gains heightened importance in the wake of Operation Sindoor, launched by India in response to the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. The Ministry of Defense noted that the current geopolitical context, including rising cross-border terrorism, underscores the need for swift augmentation of India’s defense capabilities. Both ministers acknowledged the necessity to modernize air platforms, enhance air-to-air missile capabilities, and reinforce production pipelines for high-priority defense assets.
During the meeting, Russia reaffirmed its historic ties with India. Belousov extended support and expressed solidarity over the tragic Pahalgam attack, calling it a “cowardly act of terror.” India, in turn, emphasized the urgency of bolstering bilateral defense efforts to meet current and emerging security challenges.
Rajnath Singh described the interaction as productive and reaffirming. Taking to social media, he shared, “Happy to have met the Defense Minister of Russia, Andrey Belousov… We had insightful deliberations on boosting India-Russia defense ties.”
While Singh actively engaged with global counterparts at the SCO gathering, India made headlines for declining to sign the summit’s joint declaration. Government sources revealed that India opted out because the declaration omitted any reference to the Pahalgam attack, despite including incidents that occurred in Pakistan. This exclusion, India argued, displayed a concerning bias and failed to reflect the region’s true security landscape.
The summit also saw Singh welcomed by China’s Defense Minister, Admiral Dong Jun, upon his arrival in Qingdao. The event brought together senior defense officials from all SCO member states. Ahead of the closed-door sessions, Singh joined other leaders for a symbolic group photograph.
As India continues to strengthen its strategic autonomy and defense partnerships, the meeting with Russia signals both nations’ shared commitment to robust military cooperation amid rising regional tensions.