The Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Russian President Vladimir Putin recently agreed to establish “2+2 Ministerial Dialogue”. The “2+2 Ministerial” dialogue is held between the defence ministers and foreign ministers.

About 2+2 Dialogue

• India holds similar dialogues with US, Australia and Japan.
• Russia is the first non-QUAD member with which India is to hold the dialogue.
• In 2021, President Vladimir Putin is to visit India to hold the India-Russia bilateral summit. The summit is alternatively held in India and Russia.

India-Russia

• Currently, Russia is the largest Defence Supplier of India. Also, the key defence systems of India such as S-400 are bought from Russia.
• Both the countries are members of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, BRICS.
• Russia supports India for its permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council.
• The countries had earlier set a trade target of reaching 30 billion USD of trade by 2025. The dialogue will help them achieve the target. Previously, the countries agreed to establish the International North-South Transport Corridor, cooperation at the Eurasian Economic Union and Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor.
• The Astronauts shortlisted for the Human Space Flight Programme of India were trained by Russia.
• The Nuclear Power Plant that is being built in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu is built with Russian Cooperation.
• India recently approved Russia’s Sputnik V. It is the third vaccine to be approved in the country after COVAXIN and COVISHIELD.

What agreements govern India-Russia relations?

In 1971, India and Russia signed the Treaty of Peace and Friendship. This agreement was the manifestation of shared goals between the countries. After the dissolution of Soviet Union in 1991, India and Russia signed the Military-Technical Cooperation Agreement.