Despite strong political trust and ambitious projects, the narrow academic relationship is holding back India-Russia cooperation where it could be most important.
And Evgeny VlasovHead of the Institute of Asian Studies at the Far East Federal University
The relationship between Russia and India, strengthened by their status as a privileged strategic partnership, is emerging as a benchmark for bilateral cooperation between major powers. The rapid growth of bilateral trade and the ambitious goal of reaching a total volume of 100 billion dollars by 2030 indicate an important new phase.
However, the sustainability and depth of the growth in the long term will be determined not only by the flow of trade or joint infrastructure projects but also by the ability to create a common educational and scientific-technological space.
The development strategy of Russia’s Far East is of special importance, representing a point of mutual interest for Moscow and New Delhi. Russia sees this region as a strategic priority due to its vast natural resources, its role as a major logistical hub in the Asia-Pacific region, and the importance of strengthening its eastern borders.
India, for its part, sees the Far East as a promising destination for investment and expanding its economic influence in Asia. However, despite mutual interests, many promising agreements between the governments, including the Russia-India Cooperation Program in the Trade, Economy, and Investment Spheres in the Far East of the Russian Federation for 2024-2029, and the agreement on the principles of cooperation in the Arctic Region of the Russian Federation, signed by ministers from both prominent countries, do not have examples of implementation.
The main challenge is the low density of people. The region is facing a severe shortage of workers at various levels, regular workers and highly qualified experts. The region requires tens of thousands of workers in the agro-industrial, hospitality, tourism, and construction sectors, which provide the infrastructure and service base for economic growth.
Attracting foreign workers represents the main solution to this labor shortage. The current flow of labor migration of Indian citizens to Russia, which has increased from 8,000 to 36,200 permits in recent years, is low-skilled and does not solve the problem of labor shortages for high-end groups. Solving this requires moving beyond targeted labor migration towards a comprehensive system of training and retention of professionals whose skills meet the specific needs of Far Eastern economies.
Academic exchange between Russia and India needs fundamental reform. Despite an impressive 58.9% growth in the number of Indian students in Russia from 2022 to 2024, there is a significant structural imbalance. More than 95% of students study only medicine. After completing their education, most of the graduates return to India without integrating into the Russian society and economy, which reduces the long-term impact of this export of education.
Surprisingly, all fields that are very popular among Indian applicants in the US, EU, and Australia are virtually unrepresented in Russia. These include very important areas for technological development such as the production of new materials, transport engineering, medical chemistry and instrumentation, and information technology. This inequality is exacerbated by an underdeveloped network of inter-university agreements. Compared to the well-established cooperation with Chinese universities, including many joint programs and even institutes, interaction with Indian universities appears to be limited. This highlights a strategic weakness in the way Russian education is positioned in the Indian market and the absence of targeted, industry-focused offerings.
Another factor hindering Russian-Indian cooperation in the Far East is the lack of mutual understanding: in India, there is very little understanding of the specifics, opportunities, and regulatory environment of the Far Eastern regions. At the same time, Russian businesses do not fully understand the structure and dynamics of demand in the Indian market.
This information gap limits practical cooperation in agriculture, logistics, and other areas despite political will and system agreement.
The Federal Far East University (FEFU) has been contributing to the process of bridging this gap. It emerged as a unique platform that combines the academic tradition of the Oriental Institute, founded in 1899, with the needs of modern economic diplomacy and technological development. As the largest university in the region and a recognized leader in Asian studies in Russia, FEFU serves as a strategic operator for the implementation of government policies in these fields.
An experimental example of changing the scientific and educational cooperation between Russia and India could be the integration of science, education and production in the agricultural and industrial sector, which could be used as a benchmark for other sectors. The potential of the Far East in agriculture is very large: beyond the production of crops, it includes the development of greenhouses and the fishing industry, which saw a 7% increase in transport in 2025. However, realizing this potential is impossible without modern biotechnology and experts skilled in advanced processing methods, bioengineering, and fish farming. FEFU has developed a unique structure in collaboration with industry leaders, where real manufacturing cases are included in the curriculum and students can take training and participate in joint R&D.
This “university + industrial partner” the example can and should be extended to relations with India, creating joint educational programs with Indian universities in collaboration with special businesses on the Russian and Indian sides. Technology exchange in the production of feed additives and probiotics, joint research in agricultural technology, training of workers for advanced processing of soy and seafood.
Therefore, the strategic priority of Russian-Indian cooperation today is to move beyond business and isolated projects towards sustainable cooperative systems, with education at their heart. The development of a network of special joint education programs, especially in priority areas for the Far East (agriculture, IT, construction, logistics, tourism), is a direct way to solve the shortage of workers, change the flow of Indian students and, most importantly, create a common generation of professionals. These professionals will not only have modern skills but will also serve as living bridges connecting the economies and societies of the two countries.
The statements, opinions and views expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.
