Defence Manufacturing & Technology Transfer: Opportunities in India–Russia Collaboration
India’s defence modernization is entering a critical phase, where self-reliance, indigenization, and advanced technology integration stand as top priorities. Within this context, India and Russia—longstanding strategic partners—find themselves uniquely positioned to deepen collaboration in defence manufacturing and technology transfer.
Russia has historically been India’s largest defence supplier. But today, the partnership is evolving from a buyer-seller dynamic to a model of co-production, co-development, and technology transfer. This transition aligns seamlessly with India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision and the Government’s focus on strengthening indigenous capacity.
At Texmaco Defence Systems Pvt. Ltd. (TDSPL)—the defence production and marketing subsidiary of Texmaco Rail & Engineering Ltd. (TREL)—efforts are already underway to harness these opportunities. TDSPL has been exploring collaborations with Russian OEMs in areas such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), counter-UAV systems, swarm drone management, and advanced autonomous platforms. These technologies are critical not only for India’s evolving security landscape, but also for homeland security, disaster management, and agriculture applications.
Mr. Tribhuvan Darbari, Chairman, National Part of SCO Business Council Secretariat (India); Chairman, India–Russia Business Council; Managing Director & CEO, TDSPL; and Chief Executive, Texmaco Rail & Engineering Ltd., explains:
“The scope is immense — from AI-enabled defence solutions, drone swarms, and electronic warfare systems, to next-generation armoured vehicles and smart munitions. A structured policy environment, backed by active collaboration between Indian industry leaders and Russian OEMs, can accelerate this transformation.”
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TDSPL: Strategic Global OEM Partnerships in Record Timing
TDSPL has been proactive in positioning Texmaco as a major national player in heavy engineering and defence manufacturing. In Russia, the company has successfully clinched prestigious partnerships with globally renowned OEMs, aimed at technology transfer and joint production facilities for Indian defence projects under the “Make-in-India” programme.
This is crucial, given that nearly 70% of India’s existing military hardware is of Russian/Soviet origin. Through these collaborations, TDSPL is bridging India’s requirements for modernization with Russia’s unmatched experience in defence engineering.
Some of the landmark partnerships secured include:
1. JSC Almaz-Antey – Russia’s largest Air & Space Defence Corporation (USD 10 billion revenues), for cooperation in military and civil aviation.
2. JSC Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) – The largest producer of railway wagons and tanks (USD 2.5 billion revenues), for service, repair, spare parts, and overhaul of T-72 and T-90 tanks under the GOCO model, along with dual-use flat wagons for the Indian Army and Indian Railways.
3. JSC Russian Aircraft Corporation “MiG” – For manufacture of spare parts and components for aircraft.
4. PSAC Rubin Aviation Corporation – For spare parts manufacture for aircrafts and helicopters.
5. PTK Group – For diversification into track maintenance for Indian Railways/Metros.
6. Sinara Group – For state-of-the-art technologies in track laying, construction, and EPC solutions.
7. CJSC Transmashholding – The largest Russian locomotive & rail equipment manufacturer, and 4th largest globally, for rail engineering cooperation.
8. Softline (USD 1.36 Billion turnover) – For information security, hybrid cloud, CAD, and GIS solutions.
9. Geoscan – A leading Russian drone technology and surveillance systems provider.
10. Bee Pitron – RUSSOFT Association – To cooperate in AI, IoT, cybersecurity, robotics, blockchain, and integration of emerging technologies in defence production.
11. BEML (India) – For joint development of systems, modernization, and overhaul of Russian-origin platforms.
12. BEL (India) – For opportunities under the GOCO model in tank electronics, EW systems, and modernization of BMP-2s and T-72s.
13. Cloud4U (Russia) – For cloud-based solutions (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS).
14. BAUM Storage (Russia) – For AI-driven big data storage infrastructure.
15. VOLTAH (Russia) – For unique data integration and analytics customization solutions.
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The Road Ahead
These proactive initiatives by TDSPL will not only support India’s diversification in defence and heavy engineering, but also ensure continuous business growth through strong global partnerships.
The next frontier lies in developing industrial corridors, joint R&D clusters, and technology-driven innovation hubs where Indian and Russian companies can jointly design, manufacture, and export advanced defence and rail solutions to global markets — especially within the SCO region.
By aligning India’s manufacturing ecosystem with Russia’s defence technology expertise, the India–Russia partnership can transform into a global hub of defence innovation and technology transfer, setting a new benchmark for strategic collaboration.