India-Russia Industrial Cooperation

Context

India and Russia have reaffirmed their strategic partnership with a renewed attention on industrial cooperation, mainly in the extraction of rare earth minerals and crucial resources, amid US’s escalated stress on India’s oil trade with Russia.

Indo-Russian Cooperation in Rare Earth Minerals

• Need: Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are crucial for present day technology — electric powered motors, wind turbines, semiconductors, and defence structures.
• Recent export restrictions by China, which controls 85–95% of world supply, have disrupted India’s vehicle manufacturing and exposed vulnerabilities in its supply chain.
• To counter this, India and Russia are:
  • Exploring joint ventures in rare earth and vital mineral extraction.
  • Focusing on underground coal gasification and current industrial infrastructure.
  • Advancing technology switch and capacity building in mining system and exploration.

Expanding Industrial Cooperation

• The eleventh Session of the India-Russia Working Group on Modernisation and Industrial Cooperation, held in New Delhi, included a wide range of sectors:
  • Aerospace Science & Technology: Plans for a current wind tunnel, small aircraft piston engines, and joint R&D in carbon fibre, additive manufacturing, and 3D printing.
  • Aluminium, Fertilizers, & Railway Transport: Enhanced engagement and technology sharing.
  • Waste Management: Industrial and domestic waste remedies had been also mentioned.
• The meeting concluded with the signing of a protocol reaffirming the strategic partnership and shared commitment to deepen financial ties.

Scientific Collaboration

• India’s CSIR-IMMT signed Joint Declarations of Intent with Russia’s Giredmet and Rosatom to:
  • Advance essential mineral processing technology.
  • Promote sustainable aid development.
  • Support India’s ambitions under Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat projects.

Source: The Indian Express

Mains PYQ

Q. What is the significance of Indo-US defence deals over Indo-Russian defence deals? Discuss with reference to stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (2020)

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