India–Russia Maritime Ties enter ‘New Era’ with Focus on Shipbuilding, Polar Training and New Trade Corridors

NEW DELHI: India and Russia have unveiled an expanded maritime cooperation agenda that links shipbuilding, Arctic-capable seafaring, and new trade routes from the Indian Ocean to the Russian Far East, marking what Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal called “a new era of maritime connectivity and global cooperation.”

The articulation of this vision comes on the heels of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to India from December 4–5, during which he and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi agreed on a new economic cooperation programme aimed at boosting bilateral trade to USD 100 billion by 2030, with shipping and logistics among the key pillars of growth.

In a post on X, Sonowal highlighted that the India–Russia partnership in shipbuilding and new trade routes—from the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) to the Chennai–Vladivostok corridor—represents a “win–win collaboration” that advances Make in India, creates jobs, and opens “new horizons for a shared maritime future.”