In a landmark shift in defence cooperation, India has officially opened select Indian airbases to Russian military aircraft and personnel under the newly ratified Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (RELOS) agreement. The pact, formally ratified by Russian President Vladimir Putin and endorsed by India’s political leadership, conceptualises structured military aviation interoperability between the two long-standing strategic partners.
This agreement expands the operational framework for both nations’ air forces, allowing reciprocal use of airfields, logistics, maintenance, and support facilities. The development marks a historic evolution in India–Russia defence ties, extending cooperation far beyond traditional arms purchases to integrated logistical and operational collaboration.
What is RELOS Aviation Agreement
The Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (RELOS) is a bilateral military logistics pact that enables mutual access to military bases, airfields, ports, and support infrastructure for activities such as refuelling, repairs, resupply, and maintenance. Originally signed in February 2025, it was ratified through parliamentary processes in both nations later that year.
Under RELOS, Indian and Russian forces can station or transit military aircraft, naval vessels, and support units through each other’s facilities in pre-organized operational frameworks. The pact is designed to enhance interoperability, logistics efficiency and strategic reach for both parties.
Historical Defence Partnership Between India and Russia
India and the Soviet Union (now Russia) share defence cooperation dating back to the early Cold War era. Over decades, military relations expanded from purchase of Soviet fighters and defence systems to co-production, technology transfer, and joint exercises.
For India, Russian platforms such as the Su-30MKI, MiG-29, and S-400 Triumf air defence systems have been foundational to its aerial combat and air defence strategies. Industrial collaborations have supported more than 200 aerospace and defence facilities within India, with technology transfers aiding in domestic production and sustainment.
RELOS builds on decades of this mutual partnership by formalising logistics support — something that had not been comprehensively structured for nearly two decades prior.
RELOS Aviation Agreement: What the Aviation Access Entails
Under RELOS, Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft are authorised to operate from selected Russian aviation facilities — spanning from Pacific outposts to Arctic staging bases such as Vladivostok, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and Murmansk. These facilities can serve as strategic nodes for maritime patrols, cold-weather training, high-latitude deployments and extended sorties.
In parallel, Russian military aircraft will receive structured access to Indian airbases, including strategically significant facilities on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and forward airfields near the Himalayan frontiers. This reciprocity significantly broadens the theatre of operational reach for both air forces.
Strategic and Geopolitical Significance of RELOS Aviation Agreement
Expanding India’s Strategic Reach
India’s traditional strategic focus has been on the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and the broader Indo-Pacific. By gaining access to Russian bases across the Eurasian landmass and Arctic latitudes, India acquires forward logistics options that facilitate rapid deployments, reconnaissance, and joint missions in previously inaccessible regions.
Additionally, the Arctic corridor holds growing importance due to emerging polar research, resource exploration, and military mobility — areas where India now gains a formal logistical foothold alongside Russia.
Reaffirming the Russia–India Defence Axis
The timing of the pact’s operationalisation coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s official state visit to India in early December 2025, where he held discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The RELOS pact formed a cornerstone of talks, underlining durability in defence ties despite global geopolitical realignments.
Leaders in both nations framed the agreement as an affirmation of strategic parity and mutual respect.
According to parliamentary and defence leadership in Russia, the pact signifies a step toward “reciprocity, openness and development” within bilateral defence cooperation.
Operational Advantages and Logistics Streamlining Under RELOS Aviation Agreement
Enhanced Interoperability and Readiness
RELOS facilitates streamlined procurement, maintenance cycles, spare parts logistics, and repair pipelines — particularly for Russian-origin defence platforms that remain central to Indian military capabilities. This helps reduce downtime and supports longer deployment durations.
By negating bureaucratic delays and establishing clear protocols for airspace access, ground handling, and logistics support, the pact enhances readiness for joint exercises, training missions like INDRA, and coordinated humanitarian missions.
Regional Security Implications of RELOS Aviation Agreement
A Balancing Act in the Indo-Pacific
India’s decision to open its bases to Russian jets comes at a time of active geopolitical competition in the Indo-Pacific. While New Delhi pursues diversified defence ties — including logistics agreements with Western nations — the RELOS pact reflects India’s nuanced approach in balancing traditional partnerships with newer strategic alignments.
In times of regional tension, access to Russian bases could prove decisive for power projection, extended surveillance and rapid humanitarian support across contested theatres.
Read also: RELOS Agreement Clears Final Hurdle With Putin’s Signature, Enhancing Defence Interoperability
