In the Image (L to R): Ms. Priya Pansare, Senior Director, World Trade Center Mumbai; Dr. Vijay Kalantri, Chairman, MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai and President, All India Association of Industries; and Ms. Lina Yurievna Nikiforova, Deputy Chairman of Committee for Economic Development and Investment Activities of the Leningrad Region, during the presentation of a memento at the India–Russia Business Dialogue - Leningrad Region.
“Leningrad Region is keen to strengthen economic cooperation with India and other BRICS nations through enhanced industrial partnerships, investment and bilateral trade. The region offers significant opportunities in advanced manufacturing, shipbuilding, petrochemicals, agro-processing, maritime logistics and tourism. Investments in Leningrad Region reached approximately 1.6 trillion Rubles in 2025, reflecting its growing industrial and economic potential,” said Ms. Lina Yurievna Nikiforova, Deputy Chairperson, Committee for Economic Development and Investment Activity of the Leningrad Region, Russian Federation, while addressing the “India–Russia Business Dialogue: Leningrad Region”, held at MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai.
“Leningrad Region's strategic location and well-developed maritime infrastructure offer considerable potential for expanding international trade. Its four major seaports collectively handled over 200 million tonnes of cargo in 2025, while the region maintains export relations with more than 106 countries. We look forward to strengthening business partnerships with Indian enterprises through greater trade, technology exchange, joint investments and cooperation across emerging sectors,” added, Ms. Nikiforova.
“There is immense potential to strengthen India–Russia bilateral trade by diversifying the trade basket and expanding cooperation in manufacturing, technology and investment. Greater business engagement and industrial partnerships can unlock new trade opportunities and deepen economic ties between the two countries,” said Ms. Olga Medina da Silva, Chief Executive Officer, Development Agency BRICS, while moderating the dialogue.
Dr. Vijay Kalantri, Chairman, MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai and President, All India Association of Industries in his remarks said, “India and Russia share a longstanding strategic partnership, with immense potential to expand bilateral trade beyond traditional sectors, particularly into pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, food processing, technology and logistics. With bilateral trade reaching approximately 60 billion in FY 2025–26, both countries must focus on diversifying the trade basket, addressing the existing trade imbalance and working towards the USD 100 billion trade target by 2030.”
Ms. Priya Pansare, Senior Director – Trade, Investment and International Relations, MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai, proposed the vote of thanks, expressing appreciation to the Russian delegation and Indian industry representatives for their participation. The programme concluded with B2B networking interactions focused on exploring new avenues for bilateral trade, investment and industrial partnerships.
The programme also featured presentations by Russian enterprises representing sectors such as glass manufacturing, industrial products and polymer-based applications. The discussions explored opportunities for bilateral trade, technology exchange, industrial collaboration and business partnerships with Indian enterprises.