Moscow [Russia]: Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Moscow on an official visit to strengthen defence ties and participate in key bilateral engagements. The visit includes attending the commissioning ceremony of the stealth-guided missile frigate INS Tushil and co-chairing the 21st meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military & Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC M&MTC).
Singh received a warm welcome on Sunday night from Indian Ambassador to Russia, Venkatesh Kumar, and Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin.
During his stay, Singh will honor Soviet soldiers by laying a wreath at ‘The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier’ in Moscow and will engage with members of the Indian community in Russia.
High-Level Discussions with Russian Leadership
Singh is also scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and hold discussions with Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov to further enhance military and technical cooperation between the two nations.
In a statement, the Indian Embassy in Russia shared updates about Singh’s visit:
“Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh was received by Ambassador @vkumar1969 and Russian Deputy Minister of Defence Alexander Fomin in Moscow.”
Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh was received by Ambassador @vkumar1969 and Russian Deputy Minister of Defence Alexander Fomin in Moscow.
— India in Russia (@IndEmbMoscow) December 8, 2024
During the visit, Hon'ble Raksha Mantri will call on President Putin and co-chair the IRIGC M&MTC meeting with his Russian… pic.twitter.com/yFK7EDUeuS
The embassy further noted that Singh’s engagements reflect efforts to deepen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia.
Commissioning of INS Tushil
A major highlight of Singh’s visit is the commissioning ceremony of INS Tushil, a multi-role stealth-guided missile frigate that will join the Indian Navy. The ceremony marks a significant step in India-Russia maritime collaboration.
On Saturday, Singh expressed his enthusiasm on X (formerly Twitter):
Tomorrow, 08th December, I shall be reaching Moscow in Russia to attend the 21st meeting of India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military & Military Technical Cooperation.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) December 7, 2024
⁰Also, I shall be attending the Commissioning ceremony of Indian Navy’s latest multi-role stealth…
“Tomorrow, 08th December, I shall be reaching Moscow in Russia to attend the 21st meeting of India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military & Military Technical Cooperation. Also, I shall be attending the Commissioning ceremony of Indian Navy’s latest multi-role stealth-guided missile frigate ‘INS Tushil’ during my visit. Looking forward to it.”
Strengthening Bilateral Defence Cooperation
The visit underscores the robust India-Russia defence partnership and aims to facilitate greater collaboration in military technology and strategic projects.