In a move aimed at bolstering ties and cooperation, India and Russia can now station 3,000 troops and a limited number of naval ships and aircraft in each other’s territory as part of a pact, which was signed between the two nations in 2025.
According to details available on Russia’s legal information portal, the deal was signed between India and Russia in 2025, followed by Moscow’s passage of a law ratifying the agreement in December 2025.
Under the Indo-Russian Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS), “five warships, ten aircraft and three thousand troops to be simultaneously stationed in the territory of the partner country for a period of five years, and if both parties agree, it can be extended for another five years,” first deputy
chairman of International Affairs Committee Vyacheslav Nikonov recently confirmed to State Duma in Moscow.
Diving Deeper Into Goals, Significance Of Pact
The operationalisation of the pact reaffirms the mutual commitment between New Delhi and Moscow to strengthen long-term military cooperation and enable longer deployments.
The pact also focuses on joint military exercise, training and, humanitarian missions. The deal, which comes at a time when Russia is engaged in a conflict with Ukraine, also covers logistics.
For warships, the deal provides for port and repair services and delivery of water, food, technical resources and other supplies. In the case of military aircraft, it covers air traffic control, aeronautical data, the processing of flight requests, among other services.
In addition, the agreement allows reciprocal access to military facilities, including airbases and ports.
