New delhi: India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov convened in New Delhi to discuss bilateral cooperation in defense and niche technologies.

According to Anadolu Agency, the meeting took place as part of the 22nd session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Technical Cooperation.

The discussions coincide with Russian President Vladimir Putin's arrival in New Delhi to co-chair the 23rd annual India-Russia summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the meeting, Singh highlighted India's commitment to building its indigenous defense industry for both local production and exports, and emphasized the potential for enhanced collaboration between India and Russia in niche technologies.

Belousov underscored the deepening relationship between the two nations, which is founded on mutual trust and strengthened by years of friendship and strategic cooperation. He reiterated the Russian defense industry's readiness to support India's goal of becoming self-reliant in defense production.

The two defense chiefs signed a protocol outlining ongoing and potential areas of cooperation. Singh expressed on social media platform X that the India-Russia relationship is characterized by trust, common values, and mutual respect, forming the foundation of their special and privileged strategic partnership.

Earlier discussions in June between Singh and Belousov addressed the supply of remaining S-400 Triumph surface-to-air defense system batteries and upgrades to Su-30 jets during a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in China.