India-Russia "Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership"

India and Russia formalised their relationship as a "Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership" in 2010. This builds on decades of Soviet-era cooperation in defence, space, and energy. The partnership encompasses five pillars: political-diplomatic coordination, defence and security cooperation, economic and commercial ties, science and technology, and cultural and humanitarian engagement. Despite Western pressure following the Russia-Ukraine conflict (2022) and the 2026 Iran war context, India has maintained its independent foreign policy, continuing engagement with Russia.