India, Russia Sign Protocol to Deepen Industrial Cooperation at 11th Working Group Session

In a significant move to strengthen their strategic partnership, India and Russia signed a formal protocol to deepen bilateral cooperation in various industrial sectors. The agreement was reached during the 11th session of the India-Russia Working Group on Modernization and Industrial Cooperation, held at Vanijya Bhawan in the national capital.

Reinforcing Strategic Economic Ties

The meeting was co-chaired by Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary of India’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), and Alexey Gruzdev, Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade. The session falls under the umbrella of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological, and Cultural Cooperation.

More than 80 delegates, including senior government officials, industry experts, and corporate representatives from both countries, participated in the session.

Key Focus Areas for Collaboration

The two sides reviewed progress made since the 10th Working Group meeting and explored new avenues of collaboration across a wide range of sectors, including,

• Aluminium production and processing
• Fertilizer supply chains and technologies
• Railway infrastructure and modern transport systems
• Mining and resource extraction technologies
• Emerging areas like aerospace tech, carbon fibre development, additive manufacturing, and 3D printing

Significantly, discussions also included the joint development of small aircraft piston engines, the establishment of a wind tunnel testing facility, and cooperative ventures in the extraction of rare earth and critical minerals. India and Russia further explored the potential of underground coal gasification as a cleaner alternative in energy production.

A Shared Vision for Industrial Modernization

In a statement, the Ministry of Commerce,

• “The discussions reinforced our shared vision to expand industrial cooperation and leverage each other’s strengths in emerging technologies and manufacturing.”
• The protocol signed at the end of the session formalizes these shared goals and strengthens the framework for technology transfer, innovation, and bilateral investment in strategic sectors.

Strategic and Economic Implications

This session and the signed protocol are part of a broader push by both nations to diversify and deepen their economic ties, especially in light of global supply chain shifts and evolving geopolitical dynamics. The collaborative projects discussed are aligned with India’s goal of becoming a global manufacturing hub and Russia’s focus on technological modernization.