Russia Ratifies Key Military Pact with India Ahead of Putin's State Visit to New Delhi

Vladimir Putin will pay a State visit to India from 4 to 5 December for 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.

Moscow:

Russia's lower house of parliament, State Duma, on Tuesday ratified a key military pact with India ahead of President Vladimir Putin's state visit to New Delhi on December 4-5.

The Reciprocal Exchange of Logistic Support (RELOS) signed on February 18, between the two governments was sent to Duma last week for ratification by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

"Our relations with India are strategic and comprehensive, and we value them. We understand that today's ratification of the agreement is another step toward reciprocity and, of course, the development of our relations," Vyacheslav Volodin, Speaker of State Duma, said at the plenary session of the house.

The RELOS agreement establishes the procedure for sending military formations, warships and military aircraft of Russia to India and vice versa, along with organizing their mutual logistical support.

This agreement will regulate not only the dispatch of troops and equipment but also their logistics arrangements.

The established procedure will be implemented during joint military exercises, training activities, humanitarian aid missions, disaster relief operations following natural and man-made calamities, and in other cases as mutually agreed.

In an official note published on the Duma website, the Russian Cabinet of Ministers indicated that ratification of the document will facilitate mutual utilization of both countries' airspace and port facilities by Russian and Indian naval vessels.

Additionally, the agreement will strengthen military cooperation between these two strategic partners.