Russia has proposed establishing shipbuilding and ship-repair clusters in two of India’s major port cities, Mumbai and Chennai, with Russian participation. Nikolay Patrushev, aide to the Russian President and chairman of the Russian Maritime Board, made the suggestion during high-level consultations in New Delhi.
The discussions, held ahead of a projected summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin, focused on bolstering bilateral cooperation in the civilian maritime sector. Key areas of collaboration include port infrastructure, maritime logistics, and crew training.
Russia is offering to share its expertise in designing specialized vessels, such as ice-class ships and auxiliary vessels.It has also proposed a joint database of standardized shipbuilding designs, which could help India reduce costs when modernizing its fleet.
Additionally, the two sides are eyeing cooperation in green shipbuilding, aligning with India’s push for more sustainable maritime infrastructure.Russia highlights its long-standing research capabilities, particularly through the Krylov State Research Centre in St. Petersburg, as a key resource for this effort.
If realized, these clusters could significantly boost India’s shipbuilding capacity and deepen Russia–India strategic ties in the maritime domain.
