The latest discussions in New Delhi saw senior Russian officials highlighting a new avenue of maritime cooperation, as they expressed readiness to collaborate with India on developing shipbuilding and ship-repairing clusters in two of the country’s major coastal hubs — Mumbai and Chennai.
During his visit to the capital for preparations ahead of the upcoming Modi–Putin summit, the Aide to the President of Russia and Chairman of the Russian Maritime Board noted that establishing such clusters in these regions would be both strategic and timely. His visit included meetings with key Indian officials overseeing national security and maritime affairs as both nations refined their agenda for the high-level talks scheduled for next month.
The dialogue placed strong emphasis on strengthening civilian maritime cooperation, ranging from shipbuilding and port infrastructure to logistics planning and crew training. Discussions also covered expanding research activities linked to the broader exploration of the world’s oceans, reflecting shared interests in maritime science and innovation.
Russian representatives highlighted their broad expertise in vessel design, emphasising their capability to support India with existing templates or new concepts suitable for fishing, passenger, and auxiliary vessels. They also pointed to their long-standing experience in developing highly specialised platforms such as ice-class ships and icebreakers, while noting areas of opportunity in green shipbuilding, a growing priority in India’s maritime strategy.
A major element of the conversations focused on research and innovation. Russia referenced its deep technological legacy through the Krylov State Research Centre in St. Petersburg, which has served as a cornerstone for maritime development for decades. Plans are underway to build an expanded national research centre around it, bringing multiple scientific organisations under one umbrella to advance shipbuilding technologies.
Among the proposals viewed as particularly promising was the creation of a joint database of standardised ship designs, aimed at helping India modernise its fleet at reduced cost through shared technical knowledge and design resources.
These developments underscore a renewed momentum in India–Russia maritime collaboration as both nations look toward expanding industrial capability, fostering innovation, and strengthening operational readiness across the shipping sector.
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Source: Deccan Herald
