The relationship between India and the Soviet Union – and later Russia – has been a cornerstone of India’s foreign policy since its independence in 1947. Rooted in mutual respect and shared interests, this partnership has evolved into one of the most enduring bilateral ties in modern history.

A pivotal moment in this relationship occurred in 1951 when the USSR exercised its veto power at the United Nations Security Council to support India in the Kashmir dispute. This set the tone for a consistent pattern of Soviet support. In 1959, during the border dispute between India and China and later the Sino-Indian War of 1962, the Soviet Union maintained a policy of neutrality, despite strong objections from China.

The economic and military cooperation between the USSR and India in the early days of its independence was particularly robust. By 1960, India had received more Soviet assistance than China, reflecting the depth of their partnership.

A landmark development in this collaboration came in 1962 when the Soviet Union agreed to transfer technology for the production of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter jet. This agreement not only marked a major step in India’s defense modernization but also underscored the Soviet Union’s trust in India as a strategic partner – a privilege it had previously denied to China. This helped India set up robust manufacturing base for vital defense platforms, including aircraft, aero-engines and avionics, laying the groundwork for India’s indigenous capabilities in advanced technology.

In December last year, just ahead of Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Moscow, the Defense Ministry and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), India’s state-owned Aerospace and Defense Company, signed a $1.5 billion contract for the procurement of 12 Sukhoi Su-30MKI aircraft along with associated equipment. The jet would have an indigenous content of 62.6% – a significant increase from earlier levels, achieved through a persistent policy to procure components locally.

The Su-30MKI is the India-specific variant of the Russian Su-30, which was inducted into the Indian Air Force in 2002. The twin-engine, air-superiority, multi-role, heavy, all-weather, long-range fighter aircraft has a take-off weight of 38,800kg and a payload capacity of over 8 tons, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and anti-ship missiles. The aircraft can carry ten indigenous Astra Mk1 class missiles.

The Su-30MKI has a range of 3,000km with internal fuel, which ensures a 3.75-hour combat mission. Also, it has an in-flight refueling (IFR) probe that retracts. The air refueling system increases the flight duration by up to 10 hours with a combat radius of 3,000km. Su-30MKIs can also use the Cobham 754 buddy refueling pods.

The aircraft features state-of-the-art avionics developed by Russia, India, and Israel for display, navigation, targeting, and electronic warfare. France and South........

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