Bangladesh, Sept. 18 -- The meeting between Indian Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth and Russian Land Forces chief Colonel General Andrei Mordvichev in Moscow is more than another item on the calendar of military diplomacy. It reflects a relationship that has survived geopolitical upheavals, changing governments, shifting alliances and the transformation of the global security environment.

Seth's three-day visit to Russia, which concludes on September 17, comes at a particularly significant moment for India-Russia defense relations. At the center of the discussions is a practical but strategically important question: how can India ensure a steady supply of spare parts, equipment and technical support for the Russian-origin military hardwar...