**Summary:**
On June 26, 2025, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov in Qingdao, China, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers Meeting. Discussions focused on current geopolitical situations, cross-border terrorism, and Indo-Russian defence cooperation, particularly in light of the 22 April terrorist attack in Pahalgham, Jammu & Kashmir, and the ongoing Operation Sindoor. Key outcomes of the meeting included agreements on the supply of S-400 systems, upgrades to Su-30 MKI aircraft, and the expedited procurement of critical military hardware, focusing on air defence, air-to-air missiles, and modernization of air platforms. The Russian Defence Minister affirmed the enduring strength of Indo-Russian relations and expressed solidarity with India regarding the terrorist attack. The Ministry of Defence released this information on June 27, 2025, at 10:01 AM by PIB Delhi (Release ID: 2140036).
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Defence: The Indian government ministry responsible for defense.
Rajnath Singh: Raksha Mantri (Defence Minister) of India.
Russian Defence Minister: The Defence Minister of Russia, referred to in the text as Mr. Andrey Belousov.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: An intergovernmental organization for security, economic, and political cooperation in Eurasia (SCO).
Qingdao, Shandong: The city in China where the SCO Defence Ministers Meeting was held.
S400 systems: A Russian mobile, surface-to-air missile (SAM) system.
Su 30 MKI: A twinjet multirole air superiority fighter developed by Russia's Sukhoi and built under licence by India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Pahalgham, Jammu Kashmir: Town in Anantnag district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, site of a terrorist act mentioned in the text.
Ministry of Defence
Raksha Mantri meets Russian Defence Minister on
the margins of SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in
Qingdao, China
Key takeaways include supply of S-400 systems, Su-
30 MKI upgrades & procurement of critical military
hardware in expeditious timeframes
Posted On: 27 JUN 2025 10:01AM by PIB Delhi
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with the Russian Defence Minister Mr Andrey
Belousov on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting in
Qingdao, China on June 26, 2025. The two Ministers held in-depth discussions on a range of subjects
covering current geopolitical situations, cross-border terrorism and Indo-Russian defence cooperation.
The Russian Defence Minister highlighted the long-standing Indo-Russian relations which have stood the test
nd
of time and expressed solidarity with India on the horrendous and cowardly terrorist act of 22 April in
Pahalgham, Jammu & Kashmir.
It was one of the most important recent meetings between the leaders of the two nations, being held in the
backdrop of Operation Sindoor and the consequent necessity of augmenting defence production, especially in
critical items such as air defence, air-to-air missiles, modern capabilities, and upgrades of air platforms.
Supply of S-400 systems, Su-30 MKI upgrades, and procurement of critical military hardware in expeditious
timeframes were some of the key takeaways of the meeting.***
VK/Savvy
(Release ID: 2140036)