Russia’s State Duma ratified the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (RELOS) agreement with India on December 2, 2025, just ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to New Delhi on December 4-5. Signed on February 18, 2025, by Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar and Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, the pact—tabled last week by PM Mikhail Mishustin—enables mutual access to military bases, ports, fuel, spares, and repairs for joint exercises, training, and humanitarian operations, mirroring India’s LEMOA with the US. State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin hailed it as bolstering the “strategic and comprehensive partnership.” From an Indian security lens, RELOS enhances naval reach into Russia’s Arctic and Far East facilities via the Northern Sea Route, boosting long-range operations and interoperability amid Indo-Pacific tensions, while granting Russia Indian Ocean flexibility—countering adversarial pressures without diluting multi-alignment. Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi noted it complements ties with Quad partners, fortifying India’s strategic autonomy.