New Delhi: The 12th Session of the India-Russia Working Group on Modernization and Industrial Cooperation was held on August 7, 2026, at Vanijya Bhawan in New Delhi, with both sides reviewing ongoing cooperation and discussing new areas for collaboration.
The Working Group functions under the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation between India and Russia.
India-Russia Review Modernization and Industrial Cooperation
The Indian side was co-chaired by Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, while the Russian side was co-chaired by Alexey Gruzdev, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia.
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The session reviewed progress made since the 11th session and discussed cooperation under identified sub-groups covering modernization, mining, fertilizers and railway transport.
Key areas discussed included:
- Modern industrialisation, science and technology
- Aerospace and railway infrastructure
- Mineral fertilizers and chemicals
- Rare earth elements and critical minerals
- Power engineering and industrial infrastructure
- Mining equipment and the aluminium sector
- Joint venture for urea production
Vande Bharat and Railway Infrastructure Discussed
The two sides welcomed new areas of cooperation in railway transport, including infrastructure facilities, the Vande Bharat train project and signalling equipment.
Railway cooperation formed one of the areas discussed during the session as India and Russia reviewed opportunities for further industrial collaboration.
Cooperation in UAVs, SJ-100 Aircraft and Aero-Engines
The meeting also discussed cooperation in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), 3-D printing, production of the Russian regional aircraft SJ-100, and aero-engines.
Further discussions covered carbon-fibre technologies and propulsion systems, adding aerospace-related technologies to the areas being explored by the two countries.
Critical Minerals and Fertilizer Cooperation on Agenda
The two sides also discussed cooperation involving critical minerals, lithium mining and titanium technologies.
The session further covered DAP/NPK fertilizer supplies, automation and the exploration of rare earth elements.
Enhanced cooperation in the aluminium sector, mining equipment and rare earth exploration was also discussed.
Protocol Signed by Both Sides
At the conclusion of the session, the Protocol of the 12th Session of the Working Group was signed by the two co-chairs.
The protocol reaffirmed the strategic India-Russia partnership and the objective of deepening industrial and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Around 60 delegates from India and Russia attended the session.
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