India-Russia military logistics pact: A quiet game‑changer from the Arctic to the Indian Ocean |
The details of the RELOS (Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support) pact between New Delhi and Moscow were published on Russia’s official legal information portal last week, providing long-awaited insights into the agreement, which allows the countries to deploy troops, warships and aircraft in each other’s territory, even during conflicts.
Interestingly, the agreement with Russia has gained greater traction now, when Washington is increasingly leaning towards Islamabad.
Alongside already deepening defense cooperation and a streamlining of operations of the militaries of the two nations, the pact also provides India with vital access to ports along the northern sea route, from Vladivostok to Murmansk.
Discussions on the RELOS agreement began in 2018 and featured regularly in bilateral summits. By December 2021, it was reported to be in its final stages, but technical issues and differences in wording caused delays. The conflict in Ukraine further protracted negotiations.
In February 2025, the agreement was signed in Moscow. Russia ratified it in December, with President Vladimir Putin signing it into law. It entered into force on January 12, 2026. It reflects India’s assertiveness, Russia’s tenacity, and a larger move towards a more complicated balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.
The RELOS pact allows both nations to access each other’s military bases, ports, and airfields for logistics support. It facilitates refueling, repairs, and supplies for warships and aircraft, covering both peace and war. The agreement, as we learn from the recently published document, allows for the simultaneous deployment of up to 3,000 troops, five warships, and ten aircraft to be stationed on each other’s soil.
The agreement will be extremely useful for logistics and facility access during military exercises. Along with logistical support, it will include accommodation, medical care, transport, supplies, water, electricity, repairs, air traffic control, navigation support, parking, and ground handling for aircraft. Under RELOS, cost reimbursement, meaning bartering instead of payment, is also possible.
India and Russia conduct joint, biennial military exercises known as INDRA, designed to enhance interoperability and counter-terrorism cooperation between their ground, air, and naval forces. Recent exercises, such as Indra-2025, involved ground troop drills in Rajasthan and naval........