Vladivostok, Sept 02: Speaking at Sber’s business lunch, “Russia–India: Advancing Technological Partnership to Strengthen Business Resilience,” held as part of the 2026 Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), Alexander Vedyakhin, First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of Sberbank, commented on the findings of the Foreign Policy Survey 2025 conducted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). The survey of young Indians aged 18 to 35 reveals a record-high level of trust in Russia.
According to the study, Russia ranks first in terms of satisfaction with the state of bilateral relations, at 72%, and tops the list of countries seen as India’s potential leading partners over the next decade, also at 72%. At the same time, the assessment of relations with Russia has remained virtually unchanged from the previous survey, when the figure stood at 73%, while satisfaction with the United States fell from 86% to 56%.
Alexander Vedyakhin, First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of Sberbank:
“The findings of this study should be seen not as evidence of ‘sympathy for Russia’, but as a green light for a more ambitious economic agenda. Russia has strong reputational capital among India’s young urban population, but this capital needs to be translated into greater trade in everyday goods, new jobs, tourism growth and clear, tangible joint business projects.”
Alexander Vedyakhin also noted that the authors of the study emphasize that young Indians perceive the partnership between the two countries as a stable and enduring India–Russia compact. This further confirms that India is one of Russia’s most promising partners today, particularly in IT, mechanical engineering and electronics.