India Diversifies Defence Portfolio Amid Russia's Decline
Published on 8.9.25
The US and India have strengthened their defence cooperation, with regular joint exercises and intelligence sharing across all domains. In response to Russia's declining influence as a primary arms supplier, India has diversified its defence portfolio, turning to the US, France, and Israel for advanced capabilities. Despite this shift, structural dependence on Russian-origin platforms remains, particularly in areas like air defence and armoured vehicles. Indian officials have expressed no interest in acquiring Russia's new S-500 long-range surface-to-air missile system. Energy trade has also become a point of contention, with India expanding its imports of discounted Russian crude since the Ukraine conflict began, but now facing pressure to reduce these imports if equivalent terms can be secured elsewhere.