Question 1

The Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation between India and the Soviet Union was signed in which year?

Accepted Answer

1971. The Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation between India and the Soviet Union was signed on August 9, 1971, just months before the Bangladesh Liberation War. The treaty provided India with crucial diplomatic and military cover during the war, deterring US and Chinese intervention. It was a landmark agreement that shaped India's Cold War foreign policy orientation.

Question 2

India's S-400 air defense system was purchased from Russia. The US threatened sanctions on India under which law?

Accepted Answer

CAATSA. CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) is the US law under which India faced potential sanctions for purchasing the S-400 Triumf air defense system from Russia. The US enacted CAATSA in 2017 to penalise countries doing significant military business with Russia. The US ultimately granted India a waiver, allowing the deal to proceed, recognising India's strategic autonomy.

Question 3

The BrahMos cruise missile is a joint venture between India and Russia. Which Indian and Russian organisations jointly developed it?

Accepted Answer

DRDO and NPO Mashinostroyenia. BrahMos is jointly developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyenia (military machine-building enterprise). The name BrahMos comes from India's Brahmaputra River and Russia's Moskva (Moscow) River. It is one of the world's fastest supersonic cruise missiles and is in service with the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.

Question 4

AK-203 assault rifles are being jointly produced in India and Russia under a defence agreement. The production facility is located in which Indian city/state?

Accepted Answer

Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. AK-203 assault rifles are being produced at Korwa Ordnance Factory in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, under an Indo-Russian joint venture. The agreement was finalised in 2021 and involves production of 6.01 lakh rifles for the Indian Army. This is one of the largest Make-in-India defence projects and reduces India's dependence on imported small arms.

Question 5

The aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya was originally a Russian naval vessel. What was its original name?

Accepted Answer

Admiral Gorshkov. INS Vikramaditya was originally the Russian naval vessel Admiral Gorshkov (Kiev class aircraft carrier). India purchased and refitted the ship under a 2004 agreement, and it was commissioned into the Indian Navy in November 2013 after extensive repairs and modifications at the Sevmash shipyard in Russia. It is the flagship of the Indian Navy's carrier battle group.

India-Russia & Israel Relations — Set 1