Russian Pak relations

 Russia has always shown a keen interest in Pakistan's industrial development, starting with the establishment of the Pakistan Steel Mills. 

Though relations between the two countries were strained owing to the Afghan Jihad, things have started improving with the fall of the Soviet Union, and with Russia's pivot to Asia. 

This warming of relations has seen Pakistan ascend to membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and Russia has publicly backed Pakistan's bid to join BRICS. This ensures that Pakistan remains engaged with Russia at the highest levels of military and government and has helped end Pakistan's diplomatic isolation. 

In recent years, Russia has provided Pakistan with scores of Mi-17 helicopters, and with the signing of a defence cooperation agreement in 2014, Russia has also supplied Pakistan with Mi-35 helicopters. 

In addition, the Russian Klimov RD-93 and RD-93 MA engines continue to power the Pakistani JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, and Russia has expressed its willingness to supply Pakistan with the advanced Su-35 multipurpose aircraft. 

Contracts have also been signed with Russia for the supply of anti-tank systems, air defence weapons and small arms, besides holding their first-ever joint military drills in 2016, which have now become an annual feature of the military relationship between the two countries. 

Recently, the two sides have signed a Barter Trade Agreement, while closer cooperation in energy, security, food security, connectivity, defence and counter-terrorism domains have also been pledged. 

Russia has also undertaken to build the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline from Karachi to Kasur, with work underway to build LNG terminals for the supply of "cheap" gas to Pakistan. 

Russia has also expressed an interest in building Pakistan a new steel mill in Karachi, thereby expanding its industrial base and kick-starting its economic revival, in line with Putin's declaration that Pakistan is one of Russia's primary partners in South Asia. 

While Pakistan has allowed Russia access to its deep water seaport of Gwadar, relations between the two countries will really only take off following a deepening of cooperation between the two navies. 

Also, judging from the Iran- Russia relationship, there exists a lot of scope for cooperation between Pakistan and Russia in the space domain. 

While the Aeronautical sector leads the way in the defence cooperation between the two sides, this can be upgraded to an Aerospace partnership, particularly judging from the fact that Russia has signed agreements for the supply of Air Defence Systems to Pakistan as well.  

Pak-Russia relationship Highlights:

• Formation of Pakistan Steel, and Planned Second Steel Mills
• Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline
• Supply of Mi-17 and Mi-35 attack helicopters
• Joint military and naval drills
• Education of Pakistani servicemen at Russian defence institutes in Russia
• Proposal for the sale of Su-35 multirole combat fighters
• Pakistans ascension to SCO
• Proposed ascension to BRICS
• Barter Trade Agreement
• Agreements on the sale of LNG and the building of Russian terminals for the purpose
• Cooperation in counter-terrorism, defence and security
• Cooperation in the agriculture sector, food security and agricultural inputs. 
• Supply of anti-tank systems, air defence systems and small arms
• Supply of Klimov RD-93 and RD-93 MA turbofan engines for the JF-17 Thunder fighter jets.