Putin plans to expand Indo-Russian trade deal to $100 billion, energy seen as main driver

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that bilateral trade between Russia and India could reach $100 billion in the coming years, underscoring Moscow's ambition to deepen its strategic and economic partnership with New Delhi. The Russian president also highlighted the ongoing construction of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, signalling to the possibility of new India-Russia energy projects.Speaking at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Putin said, “Russia and India continue to build the Kudankulam nuclear power plant, while we anticipate new joint projects in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy."He further stated, “We are confident that we will reach $100 billion in trade turnover in the coming years.”Putin also indicated that future cooperation would extend beyond nuclear energy into the hydrocarbon sector. He said “New platforms will emerge in terms of hydrocarbons. We will be continuing to work together.”India-Russia nuclear cooperationPutin's remarks have renewed attention on the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) in Tamil Nadu. The centre of India-Russia civil nuclear cooperation, with its origins in the 1988 agreement signed between Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.After the collapse of Soviet Union in 1991, the project was revived in the late 1990s. The plant currently operates two Russian-designed VVER-1000 reactors, while four additional units are under construction. Once all six units become operational, Kudankulam will have a total installed capacity of around 6,000 MW(Megawatt).The project is being developed with technical assistance from Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom and incorporates several advanced safety features, including passive heat removal systems and multiple layers of reactor containment.Beyond power generation, the project has contributed to technology transfer, industrial cooperation, and the development of a skilled workforce in India's nuclear sector.Kudankulam stands as a symbol of the enduring India-Russia partnership. As the Kudankulam project moves towards full capacity and bilateral trade continues to expand, nuclear energy is increasingly emerging alongside defence and hydrocarbons as a key pillar of the strategic partnership between New Delhi and Moscow