India’s Deep-Tech Pivot: Why Russia And BRICS Are Central To The New Manufacturing Agenda

India’s manufacturing and deep-technology ambitions are set to converge in September, as Russian industrial companies prepare to seek larger partnerships in the country while New Delhi lines up a wider technology agenda for the Brics Summit. The two tracks point to a broader shift in India’s external economic strategy: attracting industrial capacity, while also building access to advanced research networks.

Russian companies from aviation, energy, nuclear technology, mining and heavy industry are expected to explore opportunities in local production, technology transfer and joint industrial projects. The discussions will take place around Innoprom.India, a joint industrial exposition scheduled from September 9 to 11, shortly before the Brics Summit.

Russian companies eye Make in India partnerships

The exposition is expected to bring together Russian firms looking to participate more closely in India’s manufacturing expansion. For India, the timing is important. The government has been trying to deepen domestic supply chains in strategic sectors, reduce import dependence where possible, and attract technology-led manufacturing under the Make in India programme.

The agenda is expected to cover aviation, mining, digital technologies, energy and nuclear power. Emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing are also likely to feature in discussions. These sectors are not merely trade categories for India. They sit at the intersection of infrastructure, defence preparedness, energy security and industrial competitiveness.

A main plenary session is scheduled for September 10. Russian Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov and Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal are expected to participate. Organisers have listed bilateral trade, investment, market access and joint industrial projects among the key themes for the session.

The focus on market access and industrial projects suggests that both sides are looking beyond conventional buyer-seller arrangements. Russia has long been a major partner for India in defence, nuclear energy and heavy engineering. The current push appears more closely linked to manufacturing localisation, commercial partnerships and the use of India as a production base.

Technology transfer could be the key test

For Indian policymakers and companies, the central question will be whether the engagement results in meaningful technology transfer. India has attracted several global manufacturers in recent years, but the depth of localisation has varied sharply by sector. Assembly operations are easier to scale than design capability, component ecosystems and specialised industrial know-how.

Russian participation in aviation, nuclear technology and heavy industry could be significant if it helps Indian firms gain access to processes, tooling, engineering standards or specialised materials. Such areas require long investment cycles and close regulatory oversight. They also involve sensitive technologies, making government-level trust an important part of any commercial arrangement.

At the same time, the scale and structure of any potential agreements are not yet clear. Technology transfer can take many forms, including licensing, joint ventures, contract manufacturing, research collaboration, training or component sourcing. The commercial value will depend on intellectual property terms, local sourcing commitments and the ability of Indian firms to absorb complex technologies.

For finance and industry watchers, the near-term impact may be visible through memorandums of understanding, sector-specific working groups or pilot projects. Larger investments, especially in energy, aviation or advanced manufacturing, would likely require longer negotiations, regulatory clearances and clarity on financing arrangements.

India to take AI, quantum and chips agenda to Brics

Alongside the bilateral industrial track, India is expected to use the Brics platform to push cooperation in artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, quantum technologies and semiconductor materials. The expanded grouping now brings together Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

India is expected to seek progress on several multilateral initiatives during its chairmanship. One proposal is the Global Research Advanced Infrastructure Network, or GRAIN, which is aimed at giving researchers across member countries shared access to high-performance computing infrastructure and supercomputing resources.

Another proposal under development is a digital science and research repository. It is intended to help participating countries share datasets and research capabilities, especially in advanced materials engineering and functional nanostructures. Such areas are closely linked to electronics, clean energy, defence materials, healthcare devices and next-generation industrial applications.

India is also looking to connect chip-design and deep-tech start-ups across Brics members through a proposed Startup Innovation Fund and Incubator Network. If taken forward, the initiative could help early-stage companies access research partners, test infrastructure and potential capital pools across emerging markets.

The proposals reflect domestic priorities already visible in India’s technology policy. AIkosh, the government’s platform for non-personal datasets, and the IndiaAI Mission’s common computing infrastructure have been designed to widen access to data and compute resources. India’s Brics proposals appear to extend that approach into a multilateral research setting.

Why the Brics technology push matters for India

India’s interest in Brics technology cooperation comes at a time when access to advanced computing, chips and critical technologies is increasingly shaped by geopolitics. Countries are building trusted supply chains, tightening export controls and investing heavily in domestic research capacity. Emerging economies risk falling behind if they cannot access compute infrastructure, specialised talent and advanced fabrication ecosystems.

For India, Brics offers a platform to build partnerships outside traditional Western-led technology frameworks. However, the grouping is diverse, with members having different strategic alignments, industrial strengths and regulatory systems. Turning broad cooperation language into working research networks will require clear rules on data sharing, intellectual property, cybersecurity and commercial use of shared infrastructure.

Digital payments are also expected to receive attention at the summit. India has promoted its digital public infrastructure model internationally, including payment systems and identity-linked service delivery. Within Brics, cooperation in payments could have implications for cross-border trade settlement, remittances and financial connectivity, though such arrangements usually require careful central bank coordination.

The September meetings are therefore important for more than diplomatic signalling. They will test whether India can convert strategic partnerships into industrial capacity and research access. For businesses, investors and start-ups, the key outcomes to watch will be concrete project announcements, funding mechanisms, technology-sharing terms and the sectors chosen for early implementation.

FAQs

What is happening in September that links Russian industrial partnerships and India’s technology plans?

In September, Russian industrial companies are expected to seek larger partnerships in India as New Delhi prepares a wider technology agenda for the Brics Summit. The two efforts are framed as part of a broader change in India’s external economic strategy.

Where will Russian companies discuss opportunities for local production and joint projects in India?

The discussions are set around Innoprom.India, a joint industrial exposition scheduled for September 9 to 11. It takes place shortly before the Brics Summit.

Which sectors are expected to be covered in the Russian-Indian manufacturing and technology agenda?

The agenda is expected to include aviation, mining, digital technologies, energy, and nuclear power. It may also cover emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing.

Why is technology transfer described as a key test for Indian policymakers and companies?

The main question is whether engagement leads to meaningful technology transfer rather than only easier-to-scale assembly work. The text also notes that areas like design capability and specialised know-how require long investment cycles, regulatory oversight, and government-level trust due to sensitive technologies.

What Brics initiatives does India plan to advance related to research, AI, and chips?

India is expected to push cooperation in artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, quantum technologies, and semiconductor materials. Proposed initiatives include GRAIN for shared high-performance computing access, a digital science and research repository for datasets and research capabilities, and a startup-focused innovation fund and incubator network.