Ahead of Putin visit, India, Russia in advanced talks on cyber, nuclear pact: Report

The upcoming summit between PM Modi and President Putin is expected to formalise many of these collaborations

In a strategic push to fortify bilateral ties across critical and emerging sectors, India and Russia are reportedly stepping up talks to join forces on nuclear energy, cybersecurity, and cutting-edge technologies ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit for the annual summit.

According to sources cited in an Economic Times report, bilateral talks have intensified in the wake of Operation Sindoor, prompting India to revisit its nuclear liability framework and enhance its cyber defence infrastructure.

A roadmap is being drawn to steer joint efforts across domains like small modular reactors (SMRs), artificial intelligence, space tech, and semiconductors, it has been further learnt from the report.

As part of the preparations, a high-level delegation from NITI Aayog will likely take part in the upcoming St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where a dedicated roundtable on Indo-Russian cooperation in science and technology is on the agenda.

On the nuclear front, meanwhile, Russia’s state-owned Rosatom - which built the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant - has signed a memorandum of understanding with Maharashtra to explore thorium-based SMRs, states the report.

Cybersecurity is hogging major spotlight in this partnership.

As per the Economic Times report, Russian officials and tech experts are focused on co-developing cyber defence tools, sector-specific firewalls, and other cybersecurity products aimed at both domestic and global markets.

The report further mentions that the two nations are also eyeing partnerships in critical minerals, AI, semiconductor development, and space technologies under "BrahMos-like" co-development models. These are reportedly designed to build a solid foundation for future innovation and product development.

The upcoming summit between PM Modi and President Putin is expected to formalise many of these collaborations, underlining the strategic weight both countries are placing on tech-driven, future-ready cooperation.