RELOS- The New Anchor in India–Russia Defence Cooperation

The ratification of the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) by Russia in December 2025 marks a pivotal reinforcement of India–Russia defence cooperation at a time of intensifying global geopolitical fragmentation. Moving beyond its technical framing, RELOS provides India with a predictable and structured logistics corridor to sustain its extensive inventory of Russian-origin military platforms—ranging from Su-30MKIs and Mi-17V5s to Kilo-class submarines and S-400 systems—whose upkeep has long been constrained by fragmented supply chains and delays. By granting access to Russian ports, airfields, depots, overhaul facilities, and Arctic routes, the agreement sharply reduces maintenance timelines, operational risk, and sustainment costs. It simultaneously enhances India’s strategic autonomy by complementing its existing logistics pacts with Western partners, expanding its reach into Eurasia and the Arctic, and ensuring readiness during a critical transition toward indigenous systems. RELOS thus emerges not merely as a logistical arrangement but as a strategic stabiliser—preserving India’s operational flexibility, modernisation trajectory, and long-standing defence partnership with Russia in an increasingly multipolar world.