India-Russia Logistics Support Pact Now in Force, Allows Limited Reciprocal Military Deployments

India and Russia’s long-discussed reciprocal logistics support arrangement has now formally entered into force, marking a significant step in defence cooperation between the two strategic partners. The latest trigger for the news is the publication of the agreement on Russia’s official legal information portal, with Russian state media reporting that the pact has been operational since January 12, 2026.

The agreement, signed in Moscow on February 18, 2025 and ratified by Russia in December 2025, lays down the procedures for the movement and support of military personnel, warships and military aircraft in each other’s territory. Under its standard limits, either side may have up to five military ships, ten military aircraft and 3,000 military personnel present simultaneously in the other country’s territory or airspace, unless both governments decide otherwise.

The pact is primarily a logistics and access framework. It covers operational support for joint exercises, training missions, humanitarian assistance, and responses to natural or man-made disasters. It also eases reciprocal access to airspace and port facilities, giving the two militaries a more structured basis for sustainment, movement and coordination when operating together.

The latest development also closes a long policy loop. India and Russia had publicly signalled the need for such a framework as far back as 2019, when both sides agreed to prepare an institutional arrangement for reciprocal logistics support. Later that year, India’s Defence Ministry said teams had been directed to work toward early conclusion of the agreement. The pact’s entry into force now turns that long-running intent into an operational mechanism.

In strategic terms, the agreement gives India and Russia a more formal system for supporting each other’s deployments without changing the broader character of their defence relationship. It strengthens interoperability, improves logistics planning, and provides a legal-administrative framework for military cooperation during peacetime engagements and contingency support missions.

Reference:

Kremlin ratification notice:
https://en.kremlin.ru/acts/news/78748

TASS report citing Russia’s official legal information portal:
https://tass.com/defense/2118997

PIB – India-Russia Joint Statement during PM visit to Vladivostok (2019):
https://www.pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1584171

PIB – Raksha Mantri co-chairs IRIGC-M&MTC meeting with Russian counterpart (2019):
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1590655