Indian Council of World Affairs

The Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) and the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) organised the 9^th edition of their annual dialogue on the theme “India-Russia: Contours of Cooperation in a Changing World Order” on 20 February 2026 in Moscow. 

The inaugural remarks were delivered by H. E. Andrey Rudenko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Russia; H. E. Vinay Kumar, Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of India to Russia; Mr. Abhijit Chakraborty, Joint Secretary, ICWA and Dr Ivan Timofeev, Director General, RIAC. 

The Dialogue, held in three sessions, focused on global, regional as well as bilateral aspects of India-Russia relations, in the backdrop of President Vladimir Putin's recent State Visit to India to participate in the 23 India-Russia Summit on December 4-5, 2025. 

The first session focused on the theme “Russia and India as Poles of Emerging Multipolar World." It was chaired by Julia Melnikova, Head of the Asia and Eurasia Program, RIAC. Speakers included Dr. Anastasia Likhacheva, Dean, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University; Dr Himani Pant, Research Fellow, ICWA; Dr Ivan Safranchuk, Leading Research Fellow, Institute for International Studies, MGIMO University; Dr Igor Istomin, Head, Department of Applied International Analysis, MGIMO University and Mr Aman Kumar, Research Associate, ICWA. 

Speakers shared the Indian and Russian views on multipolarity and multilateral cooperation while highlighting the need for reformed multilateralism to transform global governance. They also exchanged views on BRICS with a particular focus on India’s chairship in 2026.

The second session of the Dialogue focused on " Russia–India Relations and the Eurasian Outlook." It was chaired by Prof. Gulshan Sachdeva, Professor and Jean Monnet Chair, Centre for European Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Speakers included Dr. Ivan Timofeev, DG, RIAC, Amb. Alexander Trofimov, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; Dr Athar Zafar, Senior Research Fellow, ICWA; Dr. Georgii Machitidze, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for International Studies, MGIMO University; Dr Alexandra Perminova, Acting Director, Center for Central Asian Studies, Executive Secretary and Dr. Himani Pant, Research Fellow, ICWA. The Russian participants presented a special report on Eurasian Security Architecture while the Indian participants highlighted the Indian outlook on Eurasia. Multilateralism in Eurasia with a focus on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was also deliberated upon. 

The third session focused on " Practical Cooperation between Russia and India." It was chaired by Dr Ivan Shchedrov, Junior Research Fellow, South Asia and Indian Ocean Group, Primakov National research Institute pf World Economy and International relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Speakers included Dr Natalia Galistcheva, Head, World Economy Department, MGIMO University; Gulshan Sachdeva, Professor, School of International Studies, JNU; Dr Lydia Kulik, Head of the Indian Studies Department at the SKOLKOVO School of Management, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies, RAS, RIAC Member and Mr. Aman Kumar, Research Associate, ICWA. Speakers deliberated upon the growing significance of India-Russia economic ties, a trend which has received a renewed momentum following the 23 India-Russia Summit held in New Delhi. Speakers also discussed the scope of India Russia mobility Pact that was also agreed upon during the summit. The session concluded with an exploring of the prospects for India-Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Triangular cooperation for capacity building projects. 

The closing remarks were delivered by Mr Abhijit Chakraborty, JS, ICWA and Dr. Ivan Timofeev, DG, RIAC.

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