India and Russia have signed a new agreement to strengthen cooperation in important industrial areas like aluminium, fertilizers, railways, and mining. 

The agreement was signed during the 11th session of the India-Russia Working Group on Modernisation and Industrial Cooperation, held in New Delhi on Wednesday. Nearly 80 officials, experts, and industry representatives from both countries took part.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said, “The meeting reviewed the progress made since the 10th session and provided a platform to strengthen cooperation across key sectors."
 It added, “Discussions included updates from the sub-groups on modernization, mining, fertilizers, and railway transport, as well as emerging areas of collaboration.”

During the meeting, both sides discussed working together on several new technologies. These include:

  • Building a modern wind tunnel for testing aircraft designs

  • Joint production of small aircraft engines

  • Projects on carbon fibre, additive manufacturing, and 3D printing

They also spoke about teaming up on rare earth mining, underground coal gasification, and developing modern industrial infrastructure.

Even though Western countries are unhappy with Russia due to the war in Ukraine, India has continued doing business with Moscow. This includes buying large amounts of Russian oil since the conflict began in 2022.

According to the government, India imported $16.8 billion worth of goods from Russia in FY25, slightly less than the year before. However, India’s exports to Russia grew by a small amount, reaching $1.3 billion. Most of the imports were petroleum products, worth around $12.6 billion.

US President Donald Trump has announced a 50% tariff on Indian goods. This move is aimed at India’s growing trade with Russia and its role in international groups like BRICS.

The U.S. says it's concerned about India’s increasing reliance on Russian energy and goods.