RELOS Pact Signed: India-Russia Logistics Deal Explained 2025

RELOS Pact 2025 signed & ratified: India gets Arctic & Vladivostok access, Russia enters Indian Ocean ports. Full details of India-Russia defence logistics deal explained.

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The RELOS Pact 2025 (Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support) was formally signed in February 2025 and ratified by Russia’s State Duma on 2 December 2025, just before President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi. This landmark defence logistics agreement allows Indian and Russian armed forces to use each other’s military bases, ports, and airfields for refuelling, repairs, berthing, and supplies — marking the strongest upgrade in India-Russia military cooperation in decades.

For the first time, Indian Navy warships and aircraft can now operate from Russian ports in the Arctic (Murmansk, Severomorsk) and Pacific (Vladivostok, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky), while Russian forces get simplified access to Indian Ocean facilities. Here’s the complete breakdown of what the RELOS pact means in 2025.

What is the RELOS Agreement 2025?

Type: Bilateral, reciprocal logistics support (not a basing agreement)
Signed: 18 February 2025, Moscow
Ratified: Russia – 2 Dec 2025 | India – already cleared
Scope: Refuelling, repair, restocking, medical support, and berthing on a case-by-case basis
No permanent bases – purely logistical access during exercises, transits, or operations

Top 5 Game-Changing Benefits for India

First-ever Arctic Access – Indian ships can now patrol the Northern Sea Route.
Pacific Power Projection – Vladivostok becomes a forward logistics hub for Eastern Fleet.
Faster S-400, Su-30MKI & BrahMos Maintenance – repairs possible at Russian Far East bases.
Shorter Deployment Cycles – cuts weeks off long-range missions.
Stronger HADR Response – rapid disaster relief coordination in Indo-Pacific and beyond.

RELOS vs LEMOA: Quick Comparison (2025)

Feature	RELOS (Russia)	LEMOA (USA)
Primary Region	Arctic + Pacific + Eurasia	Indo-Pacific
Key Ports for India	Vladivostok, Murmansk	Diego Garcia, Guam
Best For	Russian-origin weapons maintenance	Quad & US tech integration
Strategic Edge	Northern Sea Route	South China Sea focus

Why RELOS Matters More Now (December 2025)

Northern Sea Route traffic is exploding due to ice melt – 40% shorter route from Europe to Asia.
Russia needs trusted partners beyond China in the Arctic.
India secures energy shipping lanes and rare-earth opportunities.
Counters Western pressure on Russian oil purchases with deeper military trust.

Final Takeaway

The RELOS Pact 2025 transforms India into a genuine Arctic–Indo-Pacific power while giving Russia reliable Indian Ocean access. Combined with the $100 billion trade target by 2030 and uninterrupted Russian oil supplies, it proves the India-Russia “Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership” is stronger than ever.