India-Russia Get Ready for the First Ever 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue

India and Russia are expected to hold their first ever 2+2 Ministerial Level Dialogue later this month. According to sources, “The dates have not been set for the dialogue expected to take place in Moscow. It will take place ahead of the annual summit which is scheduled for early next month.”

Both Defence minister Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister S Jaishankar will visit Moscow for the maiden 2+2 Ministerial. Japan, Australia and the US are the other countries with whom India has 2+2 Ministerial Level talks.

What would be the focus of the first ever 2+2 Dialogue?

The first ever talks in this format are coming close on the heels of NSA level talks related to Afghanistan. On Wednesday (Nov 10, 2021) NSAs / Secretaries of the National Security Councils of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan along with Iran and Russia were present.

The Central Asian nations have expressed their concern over the refugees pouring in from Afghanistan and the possibility of radicalization, extremism and terrorism.

Both sides in Moscow will once again get an opportunity to review solutions to deal with the situation in Afghanistan and the impact it has on regional security. Terrorism, radicalization, drug trafficking, refugees, and inclusive government in Afghanistan will be topping the agenda of the talks.

Other issues to be discussed between the two sides would also include the new military alliance of Australia, the UK and the US (AUKUS), the Asia-Pacific Region, Atomic Energy, the new recent developments in West Asia.

Also on the agenda is the extension of the Military-Technical Cooperation for 2021-2031. At the end of talks the two sides are likely to announce a joint commission on science and technology.

India & Russia Military Trade

The defence trade between India and Russia has witnessed a jump from USD 2-3 billion a year in 2018 to now around USD 9-10 billion. India is set to receive the first regimental set of S-400 air defence system later this year.

Last month, an Indian Navy Frigate of P1135.6 class “Tushil’’ was launched in Moscow. The contract for this frigate was inked in 2018 at the end of annual summit in New Delhi in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Inter-Governmental Agreement was for the construction of four frigates – two in Russia and two at the Goa Shipyard Limited under Transfer of Technology.

As has been reported in Financial Express Online, production for 700,000 AK-203 rifles is expected to start soon. The two sides are engaged in talks for procuring MiG-29K for the IAC-1, more T-90 tanks as well as additional Su-30 MKI for the Indian Air Force.

Both sides are expected to discuss costs and indigenous content in the production of Kamov 226T Helicopters in India. Through Transfer of Technology (ToT) these helicopters were expected to be manufactured under a joint venture Indo-Russian Helicopters Ltd (IRGL). A decision to manufacture them in India was taken in 2018.