Russia-India military pact allows up to 3,000 troops, 5 warships in each other’s territory

The procedures will apply to exercises, training, humanitarian assistance, and responses to natural disasters and man-made catastrophes

The document, which outlines the procedures for sending military contingents and equipment to each other’s territories, was made public on Friday via Russia’s official legal information portal, reports the Russian state-owned news agency, simply known as TASS.

Originally signed in February 2025, the pact was ratified by Russian law in December before officially entering into force on Jan 12, 2026.

According to The Statesman, the Indian English-language daily newspaper, the agreement reflects a significant evolution in the bilateral defence relationship, formalising the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS).

"Under this agreement, unless the parties agree otherwise, no more than the following may be present simultaneously on the territory of the receiving state and in the airspace above it: five military ships of the sending state, 10 military aircraft of the sending state, 3,000 military personnel of the sending state," the TASS report quoted a provision in the document released on Friday.

The legal framework ensures that unless both parties agree to an exception, these numerical limits will govern the presence of foreign forces.

The agreement provides Russian and Indian naval vessels with easier entry into each other's ports for training and humanitarian missions.

The established procedures will be used during joint exercises, training, the provision of humanitarian assistance, the response to natural disasters and manmade catastrophes, as well as in other cases by agreement, reported TASS.

The document also simplifies the mutual use of the two countries’ airspace.