Indian Army chief Dhiraj Seth begins three-day trip to Russia to deepen defence ties
Army chief General Dhiraj Seth arrived in Moscow for a three-day visit, meeting senior Russian defence officials to discuss cooperation and equipment support.
General Dhiraj Seth landed in Moscow on Wednesday for a three-day official mission, the first by an incumbent Indian Army chief since General Bipin Rawat's 2018 trip. After a ceremonial Guard of Honour and a tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, he will meet Colonel General Andrei Mordvichev, commander of the Russian Land Forces, and Deputy Defence Minister Vasily Osmakov to explore deeper military cooperation and training exchanges.
The agenda includes visits to the National Defence Control Centre and the Mikhailovskaya Military Artillery Academy in Saint Petersburg, as well as discussions on sustaining Russian-origin equipment used by the Indian Army, from rifles to tanks. Russia has offered upgraded air-defence and infantry platforms, including the Pantsir-S1M, a new BMP-3 variant, and proposals for India's Future Ready Combat Vehicle programme.
The trip follows recent joint production efforts, such as the domestically built T-90 and Su-30 MKI, and naval cooperation exemplified by the commissioning of INS Tamal in Kaliningrad. Ongoing exercises like INDRA, participation in Zapad-2025, and naval drills in the Bay of Bengal underscore a multi-layered defence partnership.
Why it matters
The visit could shape future Indian procurement and joint development of key military systems with Russia.
In this story
