‘India–Russia Ties Not Transactional’: Why Moscow Still Matters

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Tawqueer Hussain tells Al Arabiya English that Russia’s willingness to share defence technology—unlike the West—keeps the partnership strategic, deep and politically indispensable for New Delhi.

By TRH Foreign Affairs Desk

New Delhi, December 10, 2025 — India’s partnership with Russia remains one of New Delhi’s most strategic and enduring international relationships, senior journalist Tawqueer Hussain told Al Arabiya English, pushing back against the perception that the decades-old ties have diminished in relevance.

Reacting to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s recent opinion piece for NDTV—where he stressed that the India–Russia equation is “strategic, not simply transactional”—Hussain said he “completely agrees” with that characterisation.

“This is not a relationship that developed in a few months,” Hussain said. “In India, we call it an old-age relationship—one based on mutual respect and trust.”

Hussain pointed out that for decades, up to 60% of India’s defence arsenal was of Russian origin. While New Delhi is pushing to indigenise production through ‘Make in India’, Russia continues to remain central to that transition because it is willing to transfer cutting-edge military technology—a step many Western nations still avoid.

“Russia offering its latest advanced technology to India is remarkable,” he said. “The West is ready to sell weapons but not the technology. Russia understands India as its core strategic partner.”

Citing recent crises, Hussain recalled the India–Pakistan escalation in May, when India relied heavily on the Russian S-400 air defence system—despite delayed deliveries triggered by the Ukraine war. “That was the frontline weapon against any Pakistani aggression,” he noted. “That shows the strategic importance Russia holds in India’s security architecture.”

Beyond defence, Hussain emphasised Russia’s expanding role in India’s agriculture and fertilizer supply, calling it a “critical pillar” supporting India’s vast rural economy. “India’s GDP is still anchored in agriculture,” he said. “Fertilizer imports from Russia play a big role in sustaining that sector.”

From defence to food security, Hussain argued, Moscow and New Delhi “support each other in every domain.” “All of this,” he said, “makes the India–Russia relationship fundamentally strategic—and the facts prove it.”