New Delhi: India and Russia on Friday turbocharged their long-standing strategic partnership by signing 16 wide-ranging agreements across defence, trade, economy, healthcare, education, culture and media during the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin held extensive talks before jointly unveiling the new set of agreements. Calling the India–Russia partnership a “pillar of stability in an unpredictable world,” PM Modi said decades of trust and cooperation had enabled both nations to face global challenges “shoulder to shoulder.”

The Prime Minister reaffirmed India’s uncompromising stand against terrorism, describing it as a “direct attack on humanity,” and stressed the need for united global action. Both leaders strongly condemned the terror strikes in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, and at Crocus City Hall in Russia, calling for coordinated action against all UN-listed terror groups including Al-Qaeda and ISIS/Daesh.

Modi also confirmed that negotiations for the long-pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the Eurasian Economic Union will now be fast-tracked. In a major tourism-friendly announcement, he declared that India will soon roll out a free 30-day e-tourist visa and a 30-day group tourist visa for Russian citizens.

Russia, on its part, agreed to adopt the Framework Agreement to join the International Big Cat Alliance, a global initiative spearheaded by India to protect big cat species.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri later briefed the media, saying defence cooperation remains “robust and forward-looking,” with Russia continuing to back India’s Make in India initiative. He added that President Putin briefed Modi at length on the Ukraine conflict, and the PM reiterated India’s long-standing principled position.

Earlier in the day, both leaders co-chaired the India–Russia Business Forum, where PM Modi expressed confidence that India is on track to become the world’s third-largest economy, powered by reforms and rapid growth across sectors.

🚨🇮🇳🇷🇺 Outcomes of Putin’s visit to India

16 MoUs & agreements, including:

▪️Maritime & polar waters training cooperation
▪️Fertilizer industries cooperation
▪️Customs & postal co-op on goods & vehicle movement
▪️Co-op on temporary labor & combating irregular migration… pic.twitter.com/kmfPGFgpjZ

— Sputnik India (@Sputnik_India) December 5, 2025

16 Agreements Signed — At a Glance

1. Defence industrial cooperation roadmap.
2. Long-term military-technical cooperation and joint production.
3. Protocol on defence supplies and maintenance support.
4. Trade and economic cooperation to diversify bilateral commerce.
5. Investment promotion and business facilitation.
6. Collaboration in pharmaceuticals and healthcare regulation.
7. Medical education & training exchange programme.
8. Academic cooperation between Indian and Russian universities.
9. Cultural cooperation programme (2025–2028).
10. Media and information partnership between agencies.
11. Digital innovation & public infrastructure cooperation.
12. Energy partnership including hydrocarbons and renewables.
13. Transport & logistics cooperation including trade corridors.
14. Agriculture and food-processing collaboration.
15. Space cooperation including navigation tech.
16. Science, technology & innovation partnership for joint R&D.