What Key Developments Emerged from Rajnath Singh's Talks with Russia on Defence?

Significant Defence Discussions in Qingdao
New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh engaged in crucial discussions with his Russian counterpart, Andrey Belousov, focusing on enhancing India's Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets, accelerating the production of air-to-air missiles, and ensuring the swift delivery of two batches of S-400 missile systems. These talks took place in Qingdao during a meeting associated with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Thursday.
The Indian Air Force currently operates approximately 260 Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft and is planning significant upgrades to this fleet as part of a comprehensive initiative.
The Russian-made Sukhoi jets were instrumental in the recent Operation Sindoor conducted last month.
During their meeting, Singh and Belousov delved into various topics, including the prevailing geopolitical climate, cross-border terrorism, and the ongoing defence collaboration between India and Russia, as reported by the defence ministry on Friday.
Belousov reaffirmed the enduring ties between India and Russia, expressing solidarity with India following the tragic Pahalgam terrorist attack.
Key outcomes from their discussions included the supply of S-400 systems, upgrades for the Su-30 MKI, and the timely procurement of essential military equipment, according to a ministry statement.
The meeting was deemed one of the most significant recent interactions between the two nations, especially in light of Operation Sindoor and the urgent need to enhance defence production, particularly in critical areas such as air defence and missile capabilities.
Singh emphasized the urgency of expediting the delivery of the remaining two units of the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems to India.
So far, Russia has delivered three units of these long-range missile systems to India as part of a USD 5.5 billion agreement.
These missile systems played a vital role for the Indian Air Force during the military engagement with Pakistan from May 7 to 10.
Additionally, Singh held separate discussions with defence ministers from Belarus, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan during the SCO meeting.
In these interactions, he underscored the importance of ongoing defence cooperation and the exploration of new collaborative opportunities in technical fields.
Singh also shared insights regarding the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, which aimed to dismantle terrorist networks operating from Pakistan.