What happened?
On January 17, 2025, Russia and Iran signed a twenty-year strategic partnership treaty in Moscow. According to Iranian and Russian officials, this newly signed “comprehensive strategic partnership treaty” covers areas ranging from trade and military cooperation to science, culture, and education.
Why it matters to India?
India shares cordial and friendly relations with Russia and Iran bilaterally and under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) multilateral framework. Notably, India also has a stake in the North-South Transport Corridor (NSTC), which Russia and Iran are now actively collaborating to complete as part of a newly signed strategic partnership treaty. The ambitious 7,200-km-long trade corridor seeks to link Russia’s Baltic Sea coast to India’s western ports in the Arabian Sea through Azerbaijan and Iran. Iran and Russia are critical regional partners for India.