New Delhi | India and Russia on Thursday resolved to expand their bilateral defence cooperation with New Delhi showing its keen interest in procuring additional batches of S-400 missile systems from Moscow to bolster its combat prowess.

The two sides deliberated on ways to enhance the overall defence and strategic ties at a key delegation-level meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov that took place a day ahead of the 23rd India-Russia annual summit.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday night landed in New Delhi for the summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.

In the meeting with Belousov, Singh reaffirmed India's determination for capacity building of its indigenous defence industry for both local production and exports while highlighting new opportunities for enhancing India-Russia collaboration across niche technologies.

Both sides reiterated that the India-Russia relationship is based on a "deep sense of trust, common principles and mutual respect", the defence ministry said.

It is learnt that India conveyed its interest to the Russian side on procuring additional batches of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems from Russia as the weapons proved to be very effective during the Operation Sindoor.

In October 2018, India signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, notwithstanding a warning by the US that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions under the provisions of Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

Three squadrons have already been delivered.

The S-400 systems played a crucial role during Operation Sindoor. India may also look at procuring the S-500 missile systems as well from Russia.

It is learnt that the Russian side offered its Su-57 fighter jets to India.

India is in the process of procuring a batch of fifth-generation fighter jets.

The Singh-Belousov talks were held under the framework of India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC).

In the meeting, Belousov said the Russian defence industry is ready to support India towards becoming self-reliant in defence production.

"India-Russia relationship is based on a deep sense of trust, common values and mutual respect, which are the defining principles of the special and privileged strategic partnership, between both countries," Singh said.

In his remarks, the Russian defence minister emphasised on deepening the relationship between both the countries which he said is based on mutual trust.

He said that the Russian defence industry is ready to support India towards becoming self-reliant in the field of defence production.

"Our countries are tied with a solid, time-proven friendship, which is based on mutual respect," Belousov said.

He said the bilateral relations have a strategic character, and Russia's partnership with India is a key factor for the balance in the South Asian region.

Belousov said Russia will cooperate in "full scale" with India in modernisation of Indian armed forces.

Singh said the India-Russia bilateral defence cooperation has grown significantly since the signing of the declaration on strategic partnership in 2000.

"It is good that despite the geopolitical uncertainty, our India-Russia defence cooperation is moving at a healthy pace and the outcome-oriented exchanges between our armed forces," he said.

Before the meeting, Singh and Belousov laid a wreath at the National War Memorial.