‘Made in Russia’ pavilion aims to strengthen business ties between India and Russia

Russia is opening a permanent ‘Made in Russia’ national pavilion in Navi Mumbai to strengthen trade ties with India. The venue will give Indian retailers, distributors and importers direct access to Russian manufacturers, enabling product testing, business meetings and supply negotiations.

Russia is opening a permanent National Pavilion under its ‘Made in Russia’ brand in Navi Mumbai on August 21, creating a new business channel for Indian retailers, distributors and importers seeking suppliers beyond China and Southeast Asia. Located in the Belapur Central Business District, the pavilion is designed to bring Russian manufacturers closer to Indian buyers and make it easier for businesses to evaluate products, discuss commercial terms and explore long-term supply partnerships without traveling to Russia.

The initiative comes as India’s retail and consumer markets continue to expand, creating demand for new food, beverage, cosmetics, household and other consumer products. For Indian businesses, the pavilion offers an opportunity to meet Russian manufacturers directly, test products and assess whether they fit local consumer preferences before committing to larger orders. For Russian companies, the venue provides a local platform to understand Indian retail requirements, identify distribution partners and move more quickly from initial discussions to commercial arrangements.

The pavilion is intended to address several practical challenges associated with cross-border sourcing. Indian buyers looking for new suppliers must typically assess product quality, certification, labeling, logistics, pricing and reliability before entering into regular imports. Meeting manufacturers in person can make that process easier by allowing buyers to examine products directly and discuss delivery requirements and market-specific adaptations with suppliers.

The initiative also builds on the long-standing strategic relationship between India and Russia. The two countries established a Strategic Partnership in 2000, which was elevated to a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership in 2010. Their cooperation has traditionally covered areas including energy, defense, technology, education and trade, but the pavilion adds a more direct commercial dimension by making Russian consumer and industrial products more accessible to Indian businesses.

The economic opportunity is significant. In 2024, the leaders of both countries set a target of taking bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030. Trade had already reached about $70 billion by the end of 2024, highlighting the scale of the existing relationship and the potential for further diversification. Expanding trade beyond major commodities and energy products will require more Russian manufacturers to establish themselves in the Indian market and more Indian companies to explore Russian products.

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The new pavilion will showcase food and confectionery products, beverages, natural cosmetics, household goods and selected technology and industrial solutions. Participants include MAKFA, a major Russian producer of pasta and flour with more than 150 product lines and exports to 25 countries. The confectionery segment will include United Confectioners, which brings together 16 Russian factories, including well-known brands such as Krasny Oktyabr, Babaevsky and ROT FRONT.

Other participants include Miratorg, a major Russian agro-industrial company producing beef, pork, poultry, prepared foods and frozen vegetables, along with Tatspirtprom, Afanasy brewery and other manufacturers. Their presence gives Indian buyers an opportunity to interact directly with established producers rather than relying solely on conventional export directories or intermediaries.

“The pavilion in India is becoming the starting point in shaping a template model for the presence of Russian business in new markets. We are building a multi-level system: from a venue for direct B2B negotiations and testing new products to full-fledged retail. In the near future, the pavilion will be complemented by national stores on marketplaces and a network of branded retail outlets. Our goal is to make the Indian buyer’s path to quality Russian goods as short and familiar as possible”, says Konstantin Evstyukhin, Managing Director for the Development of the ‘Made in Russia’ Pavilion Network at the Russian Export Center.

The pavilion will be operated by Indian company RAI FAMILY CORP LLP, which will support logistics, customs clearance and product promotion through Indian retail channels. Its local market knowledge is expected to help Russian companies navigate Indian regulations, labeling requirements and consumer preferences.

The ‘Made in Russia’ programme, implemented by the Russian Export Center, brings together more than 2,500 companies across more than 35 product categories. Participating products undergo voluntary certification based on criteria such as reliability, uniqueness, environmental friendliness and organic origin.

“The ‘Made in Russia’ programme is a flagship project of the Russian Export Center. Its main goal is to build a recognizable national brand that becomes a benchmark of quality and reliability for foreign buyers. The Indian pavilion is an important project for us within the program in the Asia-Pacific region. Under the unified Russian National Pavilion brand in India, dozens of Russian companies are represented here, from large corporations to small and medium-sized businesses. It is important for us to give every program participant the chance to enter the international market with minimal barriers”, emphasized Mamed Akhmedov, head of the Russian Export Center’s representative office in India.

The Navi Mumbai pavilion is therefore positioned as more than an exhibition space. It is intended to become a practical sourcing and market-entry platform, helping Indian businesses discover alternative suppliers while giving Russian manufacturers a direct route into one of the world’s fastest-growing consumer markets. If expanded successfully, the model could contribute to the broader goal of taking India-Russia trade to $100 billion by creating more business connections at the company and product level.