India’s alliance balance: After US Predator drones, stealth frigates from Russia

After signing the much-awaited Rs 34,500 crore deal to acquire 31 Predator drones from the United States, India is now set to rebalance defence ties with its longstanding ally Russia.
As part of the effort, New Delhi is hosting Russia’s deputy prime minister Denis Manturov on a two-day visit to review the ongoing strategic cooperation between the two nations. Subsequently, defence minister Rajnath Singh will be travelling to Moscow in the next few days to strengthen the partnership. He will participate in the Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC). This body oversees military and technical cooperation between India and Russia.
These developments follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attendance of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, under Moscow’s presidency, in end-October. In another development, an agreement was signed on November 8 between Indian state-run defence firm Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Rosoboronexport, Russia’s primary arms export organisation, for joint development of variants of the Pantsir air defence system. Pantsir, known for its quick reaction time and versatility, combines missile and gun capabilities. It can engage aircraft with missiles at altitudes up to 15 km, and using its 30mm guns at altitudes up to 3,000 metres.
As part of Manturov’s ongoing India visit, he and external affairs minister S. Jaishankar, on November 12, co-chaired the 25th session of the Intergovernmental Russian-Indian Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation.
Despite shifting global alliances and rising Western influence, defence procurements from Russia remain a crucial component of India’s military modernisation strategy. Built on decades of strategic partnership, these procurements help India maintain a well-equipped defence force capable of countering regional threats.
Russia accounts for approximately 65 per cent of India’s defence acquisitions—over $60 billion (Rs 5.06 lakh crore) in the past two decades—according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). However, the Ukraine war and concerns over potential Western sanctions on Russia have prompted India to diversify its defence suppliers.
Following the drone deal with the US, India is set to receive the first of two stealth frigates from Russia—built at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad under a $2.5 billion (Rs 21,100 crore) contract signed in 2018. Delivery has been delayed due to the Ukraine conflict and some payment issues. The first frigate will enter service as INS Tushil in the Indian Navy.
During his Russia visit, Rajnath Singh is expected to not only hold discussions with his Russian counterpart but also commission INS Tushil. The second frigate, INS Tamal, is scheduled for delivery early next year, as committed by Russian authorities.
According to naval sources, these frigates—equipped with BrahMos cruise missiles and advanced radar systems—will significantly bolster the Indian Navy’s surface combat capabilities. The acquisition builds on a 2016 Inter-Governmental Agreement between India and Russia for four additional stealth frigates. This agreement includes a $1 billion deal for the direct purchase of two frigates, with the remaining two to be manufactured at the Goa Shipyard Limited. The new Talwar-class frigates are based on Russia’s Krivak-III/IV class, known in the Russian navy as the ‘Admiral Grigorovich’ class.
Besides the frigates, India also plans to lease another nuclear submarine from Russia by 2025, although delivery is expected only by 2028. Russia is also expediting the delivery of the remaining two squadrons of the S-400 Triumf air defence missile system.
Since the Cold War era, India has relied on Russia (formerly the Soviet Union) as a primary defence supplier. Russian platforms, including MiG and Sukhoi fighter jets, T-90 tanks and Kilo-class submarines, continue to form the backbone of India’s defence capabilities. This longstanding reliance is attributed to cost-effectiveness, familiarity and the proven reliability of Russian equipment, along with the strong defence relationship between the two countries.
Experts say India’s balanced approach to maintaining partnerships with both the US and Russia allows it to secure critical defence capabilities while preserving strategic autonomy in an increasingly polarised global order.
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