LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO- 312
ANSWERED ON- 13/03/2026
INDIA RUSSIA ECONOMIC ENGAGEMENT
*312. SHRI BAIJAYANT PANDA
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:-
(a) the steps taken by the Government to strengthen economic engagement with the Russian Federation, including cooperation in sectors such as energy, defence manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers and critical minerals;
(b) the initiatives undertaken to facilitate mobility of skilled professionals, students and technical experts between India and Russia under bilateral frameworks, including recognition of qualifications and institutional partnerships; and
(c) the number of Indian and Russian skilled professionals, technical experts and students who have participated in official exchange programmes, internships or employment-linked mobility initiatives during FY 2025–26?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(DR. SUBRAHMANYAM JAISHANKAR)
(a to c) A statement is laid on the table of the House.
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Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (c) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 312 for reply on 13.03.2026 regarding "INDIA RUSSIA ECONOMIC ENGAGEMENT.”
India and Russia have established bilateral mechanisms to strengthen economic cooperation, such as the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC). Under the IRIGC-TEC mechanism, sectoral working groups focus on priority areas such as Trade & Economic Cooperation, Industrial Cooperation, Energy Cooperation, Chemicals and Fertilizers, Information and Communication Technology, Pharmaceuticals and Mining. The 26th Session of the IRIGC-TEC mechanism, co-chaired by EAM and Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister, was held in Moscow on 20 August 2025.
With regard to cooperation in Defence, India and Russia have an Intergovernmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation, which is co-chaired by the Defence Ministers of the two countries. The 23rd Session of the IRIGC-M&MTC was held in New Delhi on 04 December 2025.
President Vladmir Putin visited India during 4-5 December 2025, for the 23rd Annual Summit, during which both leaders had the chance to review the entire gamut of our bilateral relations. During the visit, 16 MoUs/Agreements were signed across a range of sectors, including migration and mobility, health and food safety, maritime cooperation in polar waters, fertilizers, customs and commerce, academic collaboration, and media cooperation. Among these was the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation on the Temporary Labour Activity of citizens of one State in the territory of the other State. The Agreement regulates the mobility and recruitment process of workers with work permit and workers engaged in part time work on student visas. It provides for protection of the rights of workers including social security, remuneration and compensation for termination, in accordance with the local laws.
Collaboration in higher education, including between universities and research institutions, is facilitated through mechanisms such as the Educational Exchange Programme (EEP), the India–Russia Network of Higher Education Institutions (RIN), the Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC), and the Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN). Russia has also been an active country for ITEC and ICCR scholarships.
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